


Part Of Your World

by Takara_Phoenix



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Anal, Arranged Marriage, Bondage, Bottom!Percy, Brother/Brother Incest, Crossdressing, D/s, Double Anal Penetration, Explicit Sexual Content, Father/Son Incest, M/M, Miscarriage, Mpreg, Multi, Oral, Polyamory, Sex Toys, Shounen-ai, Slash, Somewhere along the line also: Next Gen, Spanking, sub!Percy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-23
Updated: 2014-11-20
Packaged: 2018-02-22 07:16:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 85,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2499290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Takara_Phoenix/pseuds/Takara_Phoenix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Poseidon wants for Percy to become a god, because he can't stand the thought of Percy dieing one day. He'd also prefer to have Percy as his heir. So he comes up with the 'perfect' solution. An arranged marriage between Percy and Triton.<br/>The relationship of the family of the sea becomes more and more complicated as time ticks by. Watch how Percy becomes the 'queen' of Atlantis and how he and Triton raise their children.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prolog: Rolling Stones and Stony Rolling

Title: Part Of Your World – Pleasure, Pain and Property

Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus; somewhere post both series

Disclaimer : All rights reserved to Rick Riordan for he created the awesomeness that is Nico di Angelo. And everything else related to Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus. Aside from the Gods, they belong to the old Greeks. This fanfiction and its OCs on the other hand are entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Warnings: shounen-ai, threesome, incest, crossdressing, toys, bondage, anal, doubling, oral, explicit intercourse, mpreg, impregnation, D/s, spanking, character death, miscarriage

Main Pairing: Seasome

Side Pairings: Chris/Clarisse, Nico/Annabeth, Frank/Hazel, Tyson/Ella, Grover/Juniper, Leo/Piper, Jason/Reyna, Paul/Sally, Poseidon/Amphitrite (soon-to-be-past), Hades/Persephone, Ares/Aphrodite, Zeus/Hera

Percy Jackson Characters: Perseus Jackson, Triton, Poseidon, Amphitrite, Tyson, Ella, Paul Blofis, Sally Blofis, Grover Underwood, Leo Valdez, Nico di Angelo, Annabeth Chase, Piper McLean, Thalia Grace, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Hazel Levesque, Frank Zhang, Clarisse la Rue, Chris Rodriguez, Connor Stoll, Travis Stoll, Octavian Simmons, Jason Grace, Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, Chiron, Glaucus, Atargatis, Loreley, Persephone, Hades, Demeter, Apollo, Hera, Zeus, Aphrodite, Hermes, Dionysus, Ares, Hestia, Artemis, Athena, Hephaestus, Mrs. O'Leary, Blackjack, Scipio, Arion

Own Characters of the Next Generation:

_Triton/Percy_ : Fabius Jackson, Attina Jackson, Alana Jackson, Aquata Jackson, Adella Jackson, Arista Jackson, Andrina Jackson, Ariel Jackson

_Frank/Hazel_ : Sammy Marie Zhang

_Chris/Clarisse_ : Calandra Rodriguez, Chrysander Rodriguez, Charisma Rodriguez

_Nico/Annabeth_ : Bianca Hazel di Angelo, Matthew Robert di Angelo, Perseus Leo di Angelo

Summary: Poseidon wants Percy as his own, but to get what he wants, he needs to set him up with his heir. Surprisingly enough, Triton isn't as much against the idea as Poseidon would have thought. The story follows their life as a very unconventional family...

 

**Part Of Your World**

_ Pleasure, Pain and Property _

 

Prolog: Rolling Stones and Stony Rolling

 

Poseidon was displeased. Amphitrite was getting on his nerves, more so with every passing year. She acted bitchy and cranky and like she owned the sea. Obviously she had forgotten that this was _his_ sea and she was merely the queen he allowed on his side.

But now that the war against Gaia and her lot was finally over, he had his eyes set on someone much more suited for the throne. Someone, who respected his sea in a way he had scarcely seen, someone with a certain passion that was unheard of. And this someone had the most mesmerizing sea-green eyes he had ever seen in his life.

The problem was that the boy still refused godhood. Making him immortal was the only solution Poseidon could find, though. He needed the boy separated from the modern world and it's narrow-minded thinking so that the teen had the time to adjust to the world and mindset of the gods.

Because that was the only way Poseidon would ever be able to claim his son as his in so many other ways. He craved for the boy, his soft smile, his beautiful eyes, his gorgeous body and especially that round, nice ass, that looked so firm. His hands were shaking in anticipation at the thought. How much he longed to claim that ass. With a hard spanking, with his dick and with his mark.

The modern society had taught the boy that such things were wrong. Especially with his father. And that was the reason Poseidon needed the boy away from them.

The first thought that had crossed the god's mind was to declare him his heir. That idea had been trampled by Amphitrite. And sadly enough he had to agree with her. Triton was his heir.

Poseidon sat up as another idea crossed his mind and a wicked grin spread over his lips.

 

/break\

 

“Father, I do not understand why you have to pull me into that!”

“Triton, that's enough!”, grunted Poseidon irritated. “Since I wish both of you to be my heirs, this is the best solution. You will marry Percy and the you two will one day rule over my realm. Together.”

“And what makes you think that my son will marry this filthy half-blood?!”, screeched Amphitrite.

The goddess looked beyond angry, ready to kill. Poseidon on the other hand sat on this throne and looked slightly bored, watching his wife walking up and down in front of him. Between the two was Triton with a stern and annoyed look on his face.

“Don't talk about him like that. I am the king of this realm and I have made a decision.”

“That's it!”, screeched his wife loudly. “I'll stay with my parents!”

The goddess stormed out of the throne room, leaving the two gods on their own.

“Do you have any more complains, too?”, grunted Poseidon annoyed.

“By no means”, chuckled Triton, his grin reminding the Sea God of a cat that got the canary.

“Mh?”, questioned his father curiously and lifted his head.

“Considering the annoying mermaids mother had chosen for me...”, murmured the merman and shrugged slightly. “He ain't a bad catch. On contrary, actually.”

“On contrary?”, repeated Poseidon slowly and blinked.

“He is very beautiful and unlike those talkative, rambling women, I am sure he can stay silent for some time, too. Oh, and I would have some rather good ideas about his ass.”

The predatory grin on Triton's lips was irritating and Poseidon started to question his plan. He had set everything on Triton and Percy don't getting along. The half-blood would slowly get accustomed to the godly world (and accustomed to spreading his legs). And one day, once Percy would finally be used to the situation, Poseidon would claim the boy as his and free both from a horrible marriage. He hadn't thought that his older son would pose a threat to what he wanted.

“Do I understand that right?”, murmured the god. “You agree with this wedding?”

“I think there could be worse”, chuckled Triton. “Thinking with what other gods have to deal for all eternity... I think there are many ways to spend that time with the pretty lad.”

The pretty lad? How had Poseidon missed that for so long?

“And why were you always being a brat when he came to visit?”, questioned Poseidon.

“Because you favored him, even though I am your heir”, grunted Triton annoyed. “But once he is my... wife...” That wicked grin slid onto his lips once again. “This will finally end. Once he is mine, there will be no need for such fighting. And also for mother's sake. Though I myself find her behavior very irritating at this point.”

At least they agreed on that one. The thing about Percy being Triton's was still up to discussion. What was Poseidon supposed to do now? How was he supposed to make Percy his, if his other son was keen on setting his claim? Especially now that Poseidon was practically wrapping the pretty half-blood up as a present for Triton?! He had wanted to set everything in motion so he would have Percy in his bed one day, but the road taken seemed to be a stony one.

 

/break\

 

Percy laid on his bed, his hands behind his head. He stared at the ceiling with knitted eyebrow.

This was it. The start of the rest of his life.

“Percy”, whispered his mother as she entered his bedroom. “Are you still awake?”

“Yeah, mom. What is it?”, asked the half-blood and sat up.

“I just...”, she sighed and sat down next to him. “I know you love your father...” He hoped she didn't notice the wide, green eyes and the dark blush on his face. “Every little boy does and wants to make their fathers proud.” Relief filled the demi-god. “But what we are talking about is not joining a football team or something like that. We're talking about immortality and marriage. We are talking about the rest of your life. An immortal life. I just want to know: Is this really what you want?”

“It would mean that I could spend the rest of my life, immortal life at that, where I belong”, he paused and looked at her. “I love you and Paul, but you two have your own life, it's time I get my own, too. I know I'm your son and you love me, you both do, but with me around, there will always be monsters endangering you. And camp, both camps, are nice and I love my friends. But I belong to the sea, I've felt it and with every year this yearning grew. And I'm sure... Triton can be rather nice.” Hah, he didn't even believe that one himself. Triton hated him.

 

/break\

 

“Darling, we have mail!”, called a surprised, soft voice through the palace.

The beautiful goddess stood right next to Hermes, who wore a slightly baffled look himself.

“So what?”, grunted her husband from the table, not even looking up from his newspaper.

“It's an invitation.”

“No one ever invites us to anything”, snorted the god and sipped at his coffee.

His mother-in-law/sister next to him grunted in agreement and prepared two bowels of cereals for the two half-bloods at their table. Though both kids didn't look like they wanted any.

“Hades is right. What kind of invitation is this?”, demanded Demeter to know.

“A wedding invitation”, answered her daughter with her hands akin.

“Lord Hermes, you sure you're at the right address?”, wanted the male half-blood to know.

“Excuse me, lad! I'm the messenger of the gods, I know where to deliver the mail to!”, grunted Hermes irritated and stared the boy down.

“Nico, don't talk like that to the gods!”, whispered the girl next to him.

Nico rolled his eyes and gulped the cereals down. “So, who is getting married then?”

“Triton”, answered his step-mother.

Hades snorted. “What? After how many thousand years did he finally find a willing fish?” The Death God chuckled and took another sip from his coffee.

“Not a fish, but his mortal half-brother Perseus”, corrected Persephone.

Her husband spilled his coffee and her step-son nearly chocked on his cereals.

“Percy is getting married? To his brother?”, blinked Hazel dumbfounded.

“Now, don't adapt that look, child!”, chided her step-grandmother/aunt. “You know how I am Hades' sister as well as Zeus' and that Persephone is mine and Zeus' daughter. Don't question our family-tree, with being half-brothers they're rather normal considering the standards.”

“I know!”, defended Hazel herself. “I just never figured Percy would swing that way!”

“This is going to be fun”, chuckled Nico with a wicked grin and stood up.

“Where are you going, young man?”, demanded Persephone to know.

“I need to contact Annie and tell her”, grinned the son of Hades

“You'll finish your breakfast before you can go and contact your girlfriend!”

“Yes, ma'am”, sighed the Ghost Prince with a pout and sat back down.

“Though Nico is right. This wedding will be rather interesting”, hummed Hades intrigued.


	2. I. Interlude: Cold Feet

I. Interlude: Cold Feet

 

“Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods”, chanted the son of Poseidon with knitted eyebrows.

He was aimlessly walking up and down, past the stones and back again. A yelp could be heard from behind him and he jumped slightly, looking wide-eyed at the hell-hound.

“Mrs. O'Leary? What are you doing here?”, asked the Sea Prince as his pet jumped him and brought him effectively to the ground.

“Well, we needed her as means of transportation”, announced a cheeky voice he knew all too well.

“Annabeth?”, blinked Percy surprised.

“Not only her, sea brat”, grunted another girl.

The green-eyed demi-god found himself surrounded by his female friends.

“What are you guys doing here? And how did you even find me?”, asked the son of Poseidon.

“My boyfriend knows everything”, started Annabeth slowly with a knowing smirk.

“Don't tell me your boyfriend stalks me?”, grunted the boy a bit unnerved.

“No, but Nico and I have been down in the underworld visiting our father when Lord Mercury brought the mail with your wedding invitation, though you could have send them to us personally”, explained Hazel with a soft smile.

“W... Wedding invitations?”, repeated the son of Poseidon slowly.

“Sure. At least for the gods. Your dad already made sure to send them out. You should have heard Mr. D when he opened his invitation”, snickered Clarisse and crossed her arms.

Percy gulped and nodded. He then sat up some and folded his hands in his lap. Clarisse and Thalia sat down on his left, as Reyna and Hazel took a seat on his right and Annabeth and Rachel sat in front of him, all of them staring at him questioningly.

“You're getting married. To your half-brother. To the half-brother that can't stand you. And you're taking immortality, which you already refused two times now”, started the head huntress.

“So what?”, grunted the son of Poseidon stubbornly.

“You did not tell a single one of us about your wedding, which gives us the impression that you are not very joyous at it”, commented Reyna with a stern expression.

“This is an intervention”, stated Clarisse and stared Percy down. “You're going to spill it now, sea brat. Is this some kind of forced marriage and we have to get you out of there? Because we would totally take a quest to rescue you, damsel in distress.”

“I'm not a damsel in distress. I'm just... unsure. I mean, Triton doesn't even like me... I think...”

“You think you haven't told anyone because you're having cold feet”, whispered Hazel.

“But what do you mean by Triton doesn't like you? What about you?”, asked the oracle.

“Yes, Percy”, urged the daughter of Bellona sceptically. “How are your feelings for him?”

“I don't... know”, shrugged Percy desperately. “I mean, he's hot, but it's not right to think that your half-brother is hot, isn't it?”

“Considering the fact that you are getting married to him”, snorted Clarisse with an eye-roll.

“So this means you do have a thing for him”, pressed Annabeth curiously. “But you're afraid that he doesn't have a thing for you. Right?”

“I... guess, yeah”, shrugged the son of Poseidon leisurely with guarded eyes.

“Then I may be able to calm your nerves”, smiled Rachel knowingly and winked at him.

It took the Sea Prince a moment to realize what the Oracle of Delphi could mean by it. His eyes went wide and he gaped at her before blushing brightly.

“What do you think... Would you come to my wedding then... as my bridesmaiden?”

“Coming: Yes. Bridesmaiden: Freaking no”, chuckled Clarisse.

Annabeth elbowed her with a glare before smiling at him. “We would love to, Percy.”


	3. 1. Wedding Gifts and Gifted Weds

1\. Wedding Gifts and Gifted Weds

 

“Are you sure you want to go through with this?”, asked Sally Blofis concerned.

Her son sighed and shrugged. What was he supposed to answer? It had been a shocker when his father had announced that he would be married off. To his brother. The thought still disturbed Percy, but he couldn't deny his father's wishes. And this way he could stay in the sea forever, the one thing he loved most. The only thing he loved these days.

His relationship with Annabeth had been over after he had lost his memories. He had been away for months and his girlfriend had found comfort in Nico di Angelo.

All his friends were in happy relationships and he had faced the war on his own. Even if his half-brother hated him, it would at least be a relationship at all. He needed the bodily contact to another person again. And Triton was rather attractive with his muscular upper body and strong arms...

“Shush now, Missus Blofis, out you go! We have to prepare the bride!”, giggled Aphrodite and ushered Sally out of the room.

Thanks to the magic of the gods, Percy's mortal parents and half-blood friends as well as the gods could attend the wedding. The soon-to-be-Sea-Prince looked at the goddesses awkwardly. The way Aphrodite's eyes gleamed was disturbing. She was accompanied by Demeter and Persephone.

“What do you mean by prepare? And by bride?”, grunted Percy irritated.

Persephone smiled wickedly and held a wedding dress in her hands. The thing Aphrodite held was way more concerning, though. It looked like a mermaid-tail.

“What's that?”, blinked the half-blood confused and tilted his head.

“Considering that Triton is a merman, he would certainly be delighted to see his bride in such an outfit. Come on and get undressed”, smirked the goddess of love.

Reluctantly the boy obliged. He tried to shield his parts as the goddesses tried to get him into that uncomfortable thing. It was a strange material, skin-tight, making it impossible for Percy to move his legs aside from bending them at the knees. They strapped the thing close and locked it.

“This will go to your husband”, hummed Aphrodite and held the key in front of Percy's face.

“I guess they forgot some parts of that costume”, grunted the son of Poseidon irritated and blushed.

The thing had a part that went around his waist like a belt, but it spared both his ass and his groin.

“Ah, but we want it to be fun for your husband”, giggled the Love Goddess.

This kinky little thing was amazing! Her husband had especially made it after Aphrodite had seen it in the internet. This would lead to very hot boylove (and was totally worth the fact that Ares wasn't talking to her at the moment. Just because she had needed Hephaestus' help with that one. Men and their jealousy-issues. Horrible!).

“I'm sure Triton will like it. It... shows your obvious trades”, hummed Persephone with a smile. “You would be a very pretty mermaid.”

“Yeah, well”, muttered Percy with a very intense blush. He still tried to avoid thinking about the wedding night. Sex with a man. A man that was his half-brother. His half-brother that was part-fish. He was eager for this, but also equally nervous. “I'd still prefer it if you'd give that key to me.”

“Nope”, objected Aphrodite and shook her head. “That'll be my wedding gift to your husband.”

“And now get into the dress, Perseus!”, ordered Persephone and held the white dress high.

“I won't wear a dress on my wedding”, grunted Percy and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Of course, you can also just go like that”, chuckled Demeter.

Growling in frustration, the half-blood took the damn dress and got into it. The three goddesses helped him tying it's corsage in the back.

“We thought it would suit you and we were right”, smiled Aphrodite delighted.

The dress was short, barely covering what was not covered by the mermaid-tail. It was very tight, but rather beautiful. Blue and green pearls, only a few frills. He could live with that.

Someone knocked at the door and the four turned. Paul entered the room and blinked surprised.

“That's not what I expected, but...”, his step-father coughed awkwardly. “I'm here to collect you. Gotta give the _bride_ over to her husband.”

“Oh stop that!”, protested the son of Poseidon with a blush. “Wait... Why you? I mean... I thought dad would do that...”

“Lord Poseidon said he would leave that honor to me”, smiled Paul and offered his arm.

Percy smiled in return and swam over to the man, taking the offered arm. The three goddesses left the room first to hurry over to the guests and sat down.

Hera was, if not completely pleased, standing in the front to marry them.

Left to her were the bridesmaiden, Annabeth, Hazel, Thalia, Rachel and Reyna. On the right stood the best men, Tyson, Grover, Nico, Frank and Jason.

Nico, Frank and Jason were busy staring at their girlfriends, amazed at how good they were looking in those green dresses. Even though Reyna wasn't looking very pleased. Jason would have one hell of a time teasing her later on. Grover was a bit sad that his girlfriend couldn't attend the wedding, but a tree was hard to get under the sea. And Tyson couldn't decide where to look. His one half-brother was standing at the altar with a simple sea-green dress-shirt and a white dress-jacket, his other half-brother was slowly walking down the aisle and his girlfriend was sitting in the first row, nervously playing with her feathers.

Next to Ella sat Clarisse and her boyfriend Chris, along with his two half-brothers. The Stolls looked highly amused by this all. The daughter of Ares had heavily objected to being a bridesmaid. There was no way in Tartarus that she would wear such a ridiculous dress, not even for Percy! On the Stolls' other side were Leo and Piper sitting, both chatting lowly and holding hands. Next to Ella on the other side sat the parents, one very displeased and grumpy Amphitrite, a rather lost in his thoughts Poseidon and a nearly crying Sally.

Aphrodite, Persephone and Demeter hurried into the second row, Persephone sitting down next to her husband, Demeter taking the place between her and Zeus. Hestia and Athena were busy chatting, while Chiron tried to keep Dionysus calm, because Mr. D looked less than amused. Hermes had a great time observing Ares and Hephaestus, who were growling at each other.

In the next row sat Artemis with her huntresses, most of them were turned to the row behind them and quarreling with the Amazons. The last few rows were taken by campers, both Roman and Greek, and the merfolk.

The music started, Apollo at the piano, and Paul led his step-son along the aisle. A decent blush graced his cheeks, everyone he knew was there and he was wearing not only a dress but also a ridiculous fish-tail (though he was grateful that the others didn't know how that thing was cut below the dress). He didn't notice the leering glances from some of the guests, but two men noticed them very well. Poseidon was annoyed by the obvious stares from some of his family members and Triton was more than satisfied by them.

He had to admit that the half-blood was fascinatingly beautiful. Sure, at fist he hadn't been very happy when his father had told him he would have to marry the brat his father seemed to favor. Ever since meeting Perseus for the first time, he had despised the boy for the sake of his mother and because he was favored by their father. But he had to admit that the boy was strong. Two victorious wars had been led by him, after all. And his body was utterly appealing. The slender yet muscular form, the long, inviting legs, the soft, raven locks, the lovely smile on those rosy, plumb lips and, most importantly, the very round and very firm looking ass.

Seeing the pretty boy right now made him shift in his posture. Saying it as it was, he couldn't wait for the wedding night. This mermaid-tail (and he saw that it was a mermaid-tail, not a merman-tail) was complimenting the teen's long legs. He looked even more gorgeous with this tail. Knowing that _this_ was his was a satisfying thought.

He locked eyes with his future father-in-law, the mortal nodded with a smile and sat down next to his wife. Percy tried his best not to look at his half-brother, Triton on the other hand was very busy looking the boy up and down. The white of the dress stood in a stark contrast to the teen's sun-kissed skin (though Triton sincerely hoped that Apollo had kept his hands to himself and away from what was his!) and that green tail highlighted the boy's beautiful, bright eyes. Too bad he would have to remove this nice tail for the fun part of taking the boy.

“We came together today to celebrate the... union between Lord Triton and his chosen consort”, announced Hera loudly. “Since the heir of Lord Poseidon's throne has chosen the young half-blood Perseus Jackson, the gods had agreed on granting Perseus immortality so he can take his place as Lord Triton's eternal consort.” A bright, white light glowed around the green-eyed teen, the guests stared in awe as Percy lost his ability to age (especially the daughters of Aphrodite/Venus looked very envious at that). “And now I shall bless the union between Lord Triton, future king of the sea, and Lord Perseus, his future... queen. You may kiss your bride now.”

Biting his lips nervously, the new lord played with the hem of his dress as he felt a strong arm around his waist and a hand on his chin, slowly lifting his head until he was forced to look into his half-brother's face. For probably the first time since he knew Triton, there was neither a sneer nor a frown on the taller male's face, but a rather pleased and sincere look. If he wasn't mistaken, there was even a small smile. The blush that spread over his cheeks once again was intriguing and Triton felt eager to claim what would from now on be his. He leaned down and captured the teen's lips in a harsh, possessive kiss, his hand wandering down from the boy's chin to his waist, pulling the new lord closer. Unsure the half-blood laid his arms around the taller male's neck, surprised at how much he enjoyed the kiss. The only one Percy had ever kissed was Annabeth. And those two couldn't be more different. Triton was very dominating and controlling and the green-eyed boy enjoyed this new experience thoroughly, had longed for something like that for a long time now.

“Okay!”, interrupted Hera irritated. “Enough now, please continue that in your wedding night!”

The original blush on his cheeks deepened as they parted. Trying to get some space between himself and the merman, the teen noticed that Triton still had his arms wrapped around his waist. Scrunching his eyebrows in confusion, Percy tried it again. Without success. On contrary, the grip tightened some more, pressing him against a broad and muscular chest.

“There somewhere you want to go?”, growled the merman lowly. “You're mine now. There's no where you have to be, aside from next to me.”

A deep, dark crimson colored the young man's cheeks out of embarrassment. Not because of the choice of words, but rather because of his own reaction to it. He liked this possessive behavior.

The guests stood and cheered them on as the newly weds walked down the aisle to get to the main salon, where long tables were set with all kinds of food. One of them was horizontally overseeing all other tables and the newly weds headed over to the main table, closely followed by their closest family and friends, alongside with the Olympian gods. All others took their seats on the vertically arranged tables while Percy floated a bit awkwardly next to his new husband. Triton seemed completely at ease with the situation and took his seat at the center of the table. The second the green-eyed male wanted to sit down next to him, he felt himself being pulled onto his husband's lap, blushing once again.

“What...?”, squealed the half-blood embarrassed.

“I want you close, now that you're mine”, growled the merman.

Percy shifted a bit because he felt uncomfortable, though he was soon stopped by the older man.

“Stop that, or we'll have to skip dinner and I'll bend you over this table right now and we'll get to the fun part of tonight”, warned Triton with a stern expression.

Stiffing at that treat, the half-blood nodded slowly. His mother and step-father sat down next to him, smiling broadly, while Poseidon and a pissed-off Amphitrite sat on Triton's side.

“You've always looked cute in dresses”, laughed Sally.

“Always?”, grunted the merman curiously.

“Ah, yes, when he was small, he had always insisted on being a princess on Halloween”, giggled the mortal woman. “He was the cutest princess ever.”

“I wouldn't doubt that”, chuckled the heir of the sea.

“Mom!”, whimpered Percy embarrassed. “Do you have to tell that everyone?”

“Now, Perce”, chided his mother with a small smile. “I don't think your _husband_ is _everyone_.”

“That's right, Perseus”, purred the merman.

The teen hated it when someone called him Perseus, but the way Triton said his name was rather arousing. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine himself being pressed against a wall, with the taller male behind him, saying his name and taking him until...

“It was such a lovely ceremony, wasn't it?”, asked Persephone with a dreamy sigh.

“It could have used some more drama”, grunted her husband.

“Don't be so grumpy, love”, scolded the Spring Goddess.

The gods and their parents started to talk about the ceremony while the food was served. Percy's blush darkened as Triton's hand tenderly caressed his legs, creeping up from his knees.

“I can't wait to undress you”, whispered Triton into his consort's ear, licking the shell unnoticed by the guests. “And then I'll press you into the mattress and fuck you like you've never been fucked before. You won't be able to walk for the rest of our honeymoon... Not that you'll stand up even once during our honeymoon.” The hand massaged his upper leg and teeth nibbled on his shell. “You'll spend the whole time in our bed and please me.”

“Why is everyone so sure that I'll be the girl in this relationship?”, grunted Percy flustered.

He didn't have to confess that he liked the determined way Triton already had everything pictured out for them. This may be his first relationship with another male, but he couldn't wait for it.

“Maybe because you are the one wearing the wedding dress like the pretty, little bride you are?”, chuckled the merman amused.

“You think I'm pretty?”, was all the younger son of Poseidon could say.

“Since you are obviously not in the possession of a mirror: Yes, you are the prettiest, little thing I've ever laid eyes on. You're cute and beautiful”, murmured Triton, curiously observing how the teen's facial color darkened with every compliment. “You're strong in body and will. Intelligent and passionate. Those are rather amazing trades. But back to your first question. You're not only wearing the wedding dress, your... costume differs in design from my tails, if you haven't noticed.”

“Yeah, well... there are different types of... tails, I guessed. I mean, you have two tails, others have one... so...”, shrugged Percy confused, still trying to digest that Triton found him attractive.

“That's because I'm a _god_. Aside from me, there are only two types of tails, even though they do vary, too”, corrected Triton, his hands still wandering over the boy's legs. “Females have longer tails, though they are more narrow than a male's. And a female's fins are longer, so that she can hold onto the male during the mating. You have... very long legs, they fit a female's tail perfectly.”

The half-blood grabbed his long tail fins and ran his fingers over them. The material still felt strange to him, but other things were more important at the moment. Sea-green eyes searched for Aphrodite and locked with her blue ones. A wicked grin was aimed his way and the goddess winked at him. Yes, she knew exactly what that tail meant.

“And if you're still having any doubts about your role in this relationship...” The feral grin on Triton's face scared Percy just a bit. “I'll fuck you so long and so hard and so often that you'll forget everything else, until you'll realize that that's your purpose in life. Being mine, serving me and...”

But the merman stopped. The wandering hands had found their way to Percy's midsection, tenderly caressing his stomach. Knitting his eyebrows in confusion, the young Sea Prince looked up at his husband in wonder. There was something odd in Triton's eyes and the way the merman was staring at his stomach was... concerning. There were too many concerning things today. Percy truly wished for a vacation, or an explanation. Preferably both.

While the guests were still busy chatting and rambling, the green-eyed teen leaned up to whisper into the merman's ear. The taller man shuddered at the low voice.

“Tell me why you're staring at my stomach like that”, demanded Percy to know.

“You don't know?”, asked Triton and blinked surprised, his hands still caressing the flat stomach.

“I don't know what?”, whispered the teen confused.

“The half-blood children of our father always had one very fascinating ability”, chuckled Triton.

“Only one?”, snorted Percy with one raised eyebrow.

“Only one that fascinates me”, nodded the merman.

“And what may that be?”, asked the half-blood with a curious and eager expression.

Triton rather liked that, this begging look in those wide, green eyes. It was easy to imagine the boy wearing this expression, though begging eagerly for something else entirely.

“The ability”, purred Triton into the boy's ear. “To bear children.”

Blinking dumbfounded and staring at the taller man in wonder was all Percy found himself able to do. Bearing children? As in... pregnancy and all that stuff?

“You indeed heard me right, Perseus”, chuckled the merman. “You're able to carry children. My children, to be more precisely. Just to clear that. The only children you'll carry are mine.”

“Ah... And what makes you think that?”, grunted Percy unbelieving.

Instead of an answer, a fork was held in front of his face. Percy blinked in irritation.

“The guests are looking at us funny because we're not eating, so be a good, little bride and open up”, smirked the lord teasingly, pressing the fork against those rosy lips.

Obediently opening his mouth, the Sea Prince took the first bite from their wedding dinner. He moaned at the tasty sensation in his mouth. Their father truly had managed to make this special.

“Stop making those sounds”, growled the older male. “Because otherwise I'll truly have to bend you over this table and fuck you like you've never been fucked before.”

“I _have_ never been fucked before”, grunted the teen irritated.

Now it was Triton's turn to blink in surprise. “Really?”

“Really”, the half-blood rolled his eyes. “I've only ever had one girlfriend and we've only been dating for, like, three months. I've never had a boyfriend.”

“That's... good to hear”, grinned Triton pleased, he would have thought that with those looks there had been plenty suitors for the boy. “But don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're a virgin.”

“Wouldn't have thought you'd even know the word easy”, snorted Percy with a half-grin.

“Don't be cheeky, or I'll spank you. Hard.”

“That a promise or a treat?”, teased the younger child of the sea.

“Very hard”, warned Triton. “Until your ass will be dark red and sore and you'll beg me to have mercy on you, because you can't take it anymore.”

“You... have very explicit plans for my ass”, mumbled Percy blushing, not feeling as bolt anymore.

“It is the only truly appealing difference between you humans and us merfolk. I've always been... a bit obsessed with those two round cheeks and that soft, rosy puckered entrance. And I can't wait to finally see and claim your hole, your perfectly shaped ass... your whole body. I have very explicit plans for you, not only for that nicely shaped ass of yours.”

“Ah... And... what kind of plans would that be?”, asked Percy, half afraid of the answer.

“You ever watched The Little Mermaid?”

“Sure, it's my favorite... Oh...”

“ _At least_ seven children. Considering that not every child will turn out to be a girl, there will be more than seven, I guess. But I want at least those seven pretty daughters Disney invented for me”, smirked the future Sea Lord.

Considering the fact that most of their father's children had turned out to be male... Percy guessed that Triton and him would be blessed with many sons, too. So until they'd have those seven daughters... Goodness, did Triton want him pregnant for the rest of his life? Oh, yeah. Immortality. Great, an eternity of time to get knocked up by his husband. The big hands were still stroking his flat stomach. His still flat stomach. And Percy briefly wondered how long that would last.

“But the gods don't do that. Having many immortal children, I mean. You, Rhode, Benthesikyme and Kymapoleia are the only immortal children of dad and your mother, even after all those years.”

“Because my mother – as much as I love her, because she is my mother – can be rather bitchy. She doesn't like the troubles of being pregnant and the annoyance that others call babies. That are two of the reasons father beds mortal women.”

“The bitchiness and the fact that she doesn't want any more children?”

“Exactly”, nodded Triton. “They're fighting. More and more with every year since the end of the last century. I hope I won't have the same problems with you.”

“The bitchiness or the thing with the children?”

“Both”, purred Triton and placed tender kisses on Percy's collar-bone.

“I'm not really known for my bitchiness”, he truly started to like that word. “And I... always wanted many children. Being the only... half-blood child of our dad was rather lonely, especially when I saw how happy the others were with their half-siblings.”

“But don't think that there will ever be a Perseus cabin at camp half-blood”, growled Triton possessively. “You're mine, I won't share you with some unworthy mortals.”

“It's good that we cleared that beforehand, because I've had planned to bed as many unworthy mortals as possible”, laughed Percy softly.

“Don't joke about that”, warned Triton strictly and bit the boy's shoulder hard. “Our... dear family is not known for their faithful and happy relationships.”

“Well, then I promise I'll only sleep with the men you'll allow me to”, chuckled the teen.

“You don't seem to understand it yet, but after our honeymoon you'll surely understand it. You are mine, wholly. I'll do with your body as it pleases me, my pretty, little thing.”

Percy shuddered involuntarily at that. Being controlled and owned like that was a deep rooted, dark phantasy the half-blood had tried to hide for years now. It was probably the reason why it was so easy for him to deal with his breakup with Annabeth. She had always been a very dominant person and, let's face it, she had been the man in their relationship. But she wasn't... dominant enough.

“Ah, Lord Triton”, interrupted Aphrodite friendly, standing in front of them. “And Lord Perseus.”

“Lady Aphrodite, how nice to see you”, smiled Triton. “I would stand up to greet you, but as you can see, I'm a bit hindered.”

Percy made a move to stand up, but his husband held him firmly in place.

“No need to”, declined the goddess. “I just wanted to give you my wedding gift.”

“And here I thought I already had the best present right here on my lap”, chuckled Triton, one hand securely laid around the teen's waist, still resting on top of the boy's stomach, the other squeezing the green-clad tight hard, causing the teen to whimper lowly into his ear.

“Ah, but without my gift, you won't get that present”, smirked Aphrodite and laid a little package on the table in front of the merman. “I'm sure you'll... enjoy it...”

Reluctantly removing his hands from his wife (it was fun calling the teen that, even in his thoughts, because he knew how much it annoyed the pretty lad), he took the little gift and opened it.

“A... key?”, Triton blinked confused.

“The tail is mine and Hephaestus' gift for you. And it can only be opened and removed with that key. You'll get a surprise later on, too”, hummed the goddess and winked at him.

“You mean Perseus can't get out of that tail without me unlocking it?”

“Exactly. You will have a very fun wedding night, I promise.”

“You're the goddess of love, I'll trust you on that one”, chuckled Triton amused and licked his lips.

The goddess nodded and left again. Another wicked grin spread over the merman's lips and he leaned down some, breathing against the teen's ear.

“You haven't mentioned that this nice, little tail needs a key.”

“And you haven't asked.”

“This means you won't get out of that wonderful outfit without me removing it. If that's the case, you won't get out of this unless I'll take you...”, smirked Triton satisfied.

“Oh, you don't know half the story”, muttered Percy with another blush.

“And I can't wait to hear it from you.”

Triton placed love-bites on the shoulders and neck of the pretty one on his lap.

“I'm sorry to interrupt this merry dinner”, announced the booming voice of their father. “But it seems to me as if the newly weds can't wait to complete their marriage.”

The guests chuckled and laughed at that and Percy's blush deepened some, the half-blood trying his best to hide his face in his husband's shoulder.

“I suggest that we let them leave early”, smiled the god, looking at his sons.

Cheers erupted all around the salon and Triton threw a grateful glance at the Sea God before standing up. He cradled the teen bridal style in his arms and swam up over the table.

“We thank you all for attending our wedding, but our father is indeed right. If you'd excuse me, I have a wife to ravish”, declared the future Lord of the Sea.

Cheers and laughter grew and Percy could still hear them, even after they had left the salon. Triton carried him along the corridor, to the bedrooms. He opened the door with one hand and closed it with one tail. Percy gaped at the huge, beautiful bedroom.

“You have a nice room”, muttered the teen and blinked, staring at the large bed with blue sheets.

“This is _our_ room now”, corrected the merman and placed the boy on top of the sheets. “What's mine is yours and what's... well, and you are mine.”

Triton hovered over his soon-to-be-lover, stroking the teen's cheek gently before leaning down and capturing the half-blood's lips in a siring kiss. Percy sat up as their kiss deepened.

“I think it's time to get you out of that dress, regardless of how nice it looks on you”, suggested the merman once they parted, his hands trying to touch every part of the boy he could reach.

He swam around his consort and started to untie the corsage, until he finally could remove the dress. His eyes wandered down the strong back of the teen, until they stopped at the two round cheeks, practically staring at him from between the green tail. Triton blinked a few times before he swam around to face his consort. That's when he noticed that the front of the costume was spared, too. Aphrodite seemed to be right with her assumption. Their wedding night would be very nice.

“This means...”, started Triton, his eyes lighting up like a little boy's on Christmas Eve.

“You won't have to remove the tail to take me, yes”, sighed Percy frustrated.

Though he had to admit that the tail wasn't as uncomfortable as he had thought it to be. It was still annoying that he couldn't move his legs properly. But that happy expression on his husband's face was absolutely worth it. Never in his life would he have thought to see Triton like this.

“This is perfect, my perfect, pretty, little mermaid”, purred the future Sea Lord pleased, his hands wandering around the teen's waist to his behind.

He squeezed the roundness hard, feeling how firm and yet still soft it was. The mewling sound he threw from those rosy lips was a nice bonus, too.

“You'll never let me out of this thing, right”, guessed Percy with a defeated groan.

“Maybe from time to time, if you'll be a good, obedient little wife and do whatever I want you to. And if you beg nicely, of course”, considered the merman. “And now turn around and face the wall. You may also grip the bed-frame to brace yourself.”

“Brace myself for what exactly...?”, asked the half-blood slowly, doing as he was told.

“You seem unsure about your role in our relationship. You've asked what made me think that you're the wife in our relationship. Simple; Because you'll be the one carrying my children. And you've asked me what made me think you'd carry my children. Equally simple.”

The answer came in an unexpected way and Percy yelped as the first blow hit his bottom. He cursed under his breath as slap after slap were placed on his ass. Should have figured that out on his own, Triton had been talking so animatedly about spanking him! The hits became more intense and harder with every time the big hand came down on his behind and it didn't take long for Percy to figure out that Triton was manipulating the tides to give him additional strength. The first few slaps had been surprising, the next few were a bit strange, but after what felt like eternity itself, they were too much to take. His ass felt as if it was set on fire and embarrassingly enough, he found that rather pleasurable to the point of being painfully hard. And as much as he enjoyed this special attention his ass was receiving at the moment, he would prefer a different kind of attention to both his ass and his cock right now. Percy gripped the bed-frame hard, briefly wondering when the older male had tied his hands to it, but it was oddly arousing how frustrating that was.

“Please”, whimpered the half-blood. “Stop teasing and take me, I need release!”

“It's nice to hear that you understand that you'll have to beg for everything”, chuckled Triton amused and pleased, though showing no mercy in his administrations. “But I want to hear you begging for something different. And I won't stop until I hear those words from your lips.”

“A... And for what?”, asked Percy hoarsely, bucking his hips at every slap.

“You know exactly what I want to hear”, smirked the older male. “And believe me, I can go on like this for hours. I like this color, it's such a nice contrast to your tail.”

Percy gritted his teeth stubbornly, but the spanking just wouldn't stop. He had hoped that Triton would soon be turned on enough to stop and finally ravish him, not that the merman would have that much self-control. And he would soon hit his breaking point. His own member ached for attention and the sheer thought of a hard cock up his ass was arousing enough, but with the added pleasurable pain of Triton thrusting into him and by doing so hitting his sore ass over and over again... He had never been as aroused as he was at that moment.

“I'm sorry I questioned you, please forgive me!”, mewled Percy. “I'll be a good wife to you, I promise! I'll... I'll bear as many children as you want me to, just fuck me already!”

“Didn't I say I want you begging for it?”, hummed Triton in mock-confusion.

A loud moan escaped Percy's lips. This sadist truly wanted him begging for it?! Gods, how much he wanted that man right now deep within him...

“Please allow me to bear your heirs, I... I can't wait to fulfill my duty as your wife! I... I want to carry your children, please knock me up. Ram your cock up my needy ass and fuck me, because I truly need it... I'm yours, please take me, I need your cock... Please, please fuck me and fill me with your life-creating seed, please make me a baby! I can't wait to carry the first of many, many children for you, please allow me to be the mother of your heirs!”

His head was hung low in defeat and embarrassment, so he missed the satisfied grin on Triton's lips. The spanking stopped and he felt something thick and hard poking between his cheeks. The merman leaned over him so he could whisper into the half-blood's ear.

“And that is the reason why you'll be my _wife_ and the _mother_ of my children”, hummed the older male. “Because you want it just as much as I do, you perverted, little slut.”

Percy moaned as the thick hardness slowly entered his virgin channels. It hurt, he felt like he was being teared apart, but in a good kind of way, somehow. Triton was gripping his waist hard, pushing into him, inch by inch, until his full length was finally seated within his consort and he was pressed against the wound bottom. The teen moaned and whimpered at the thickness within him and the roughness of Triton's tails against his sore skin.

“You know that I'll fuck you again and again and again tonight and fill you with my seed until I can be sure that you'll be pregnant”, purred the merman and started thrusting.

“Fuck”, groaned Percy needfully at that, Triton had such a harsh way with words.

“I'm already doing that”, chuckled Triton and placed love-bites on the teen's shoulder.

“That feels... good”, moaned the half-blood and threw his head back.

And it truly did. This was probably the most amazing thing he had ever felt. Triton managed to hit something within him with nearly every thrust. Something that made him see stars. Even the immobility felt good, not being able to touch himself, but having to rely on his partner to pleasure him. And truth be told, he couldn't wait to have his own family.

“You're mine and mine alone”, growled Triton possessively.

Percy whimpered and tried to free his hands. He was so painfully hard, he felt like dying. But all his husband did was ramming his own cock deeper and deeper into Percy – not that this wasn't amazing, the problem was just that he really needed to cum.

“You know what you have to do if you want something”, chuckled the merman and increased his speed, his thrusts becoming harder and more frantic.

“I... I...”, the son of Sally sighed in defeat. “Please let me cum, I'm yours, let your wife cum, I need to cum, I really, really need to cum... You... Your cock is so big and thick and it feels so good within me, I can't take it anymore, please let me cum... I... I would say I'd do anything if you'd let me cum, though that would be futile considering the fact that I'm doing anything you want me to do anyway from now on, because I'm yours.... Yours to do to whatever pleases you...”

Humming in agreement, the older male wrapped his fingers around the hard member. Percy moaned in ecstasy, the touch of someone else being something completely new to him. Sure, he had jerked off before, but it was something else entirely if someone else was jerking him off.

“You're such a good, little wife”, moaned the merman into the teen's ear, tightening his grip around the smaller male's dick, stroking it tenderly. “Tell me who you belong to.”

“You—You!”, whimpered Percy, leaning back against the taller man. “I'm yours, only yours!”

With those words on his lips, the green-eyed male came hard, spilling his cum into the water around them. His muscles tightened around the cock up his ass, adding more friction to Triton's cock.

“I'll cum”, groaned the merman and bit down on Percy's shoulder. “I'll cum deep within you. Tell me, are you ready to get what you deserve?”

“Yes! Yes, please”, begged the half-blood eagerly. “Please fill me! I can't wait to be pregnant!”

Triton moaned and came at the eagerness of his consort, both vocally and physically. “I thought so, the way your needy ass milks every last drop out of me!”

“My... My body can't wait for it”, purred Percy and turned around some to kiss the older male.

Triton held his consort close and whirled them around in the water, laying down on the bed, the green-eyed beauty still impaled on his cock, the contracting muscles of Percy's ass still milking the cum out of it. Percy purred delightfully and cuddled closer to his husband, his head resting on the broad chest. The hands resting on his stomach intertwined their fingers, the thumbs stroking him tenderly. Laying his hands on top of Triton's, Percy closed his eyes and relaxed some.

“I can't wait for our child to grow within you”, murmured Triton. “And just to make sure, you'll spend our honeymoon on your knees with your ass high, ready for me to take you.”

“Not that we'll leave the bed anyway”, mumbled the half-blood sleepily. “But where have you planned for us to spend our honeymoon?”

“We have a castle in the Atlantic Ocean, the sea there is very, very cold”, another feral grin tugged at Triton's lips. “Meaning not only that your nipples will always be hard, but also that I'll have to keep you warm with... my own methods...”

“Three weeks time of ensuring that there will be our baby growing within me?”, smiled Percy and yawned widely. “Can't wait for... our... family...” And he was asleep.


	4. II. Interlude: Hot Honeymoon

II. Interlude: Hot Honeymoon

 

“Oh gods”, mewed the green-eyed half-blood.

“There's only one god present”, growled his lover, hovering above him.

Rough fingers pinched and tweaked his nipples, making the boy squirm beneath them.

“Please”, whined Percy breathlessly, tugging at his bonds.

“Please what?”, asked Triton with a knowing smirk.

A mewling sound was the answer he received, so he helped it a bit. The merman brought his other hand back down between his consort's wide-spread legs to circle the puckered entrance. His cum had built a puddle as it kept oozing out of the tightness. Pushing teasingly into the slippery hole, he took his finger back right away as his young lover moaned wantonly. Smearing the cum over the tights of his wife, he stroke the long legs that had been tied to the bed-frame to stay wide-spread.

“Tell me, is there something you want?”, hummed Triton in mock innocence.

“Cock”, moaned the younger son of Poseidon hoarsely.

“Cock? And what do you want with the cock?”, asked the merman, acting surprised.

With one hand he still worked the erect nipples, twirling them one after the other, his left hand found its way back to the well-used entrance. In the past two weeks he had spend most of his time seated within that tight heat. And still, after dozens of times taking the boy, he couldn't get enough of it. Neither of the feeling of being within Perseus, nor of the sounds his beautiful consort was making or the begging that came before their intercourse. In his books, Perseus was perfect. No other lover before had ever pleased him so thoroughly, or held his interest for such a long time. Most were one-time things, mostly because they bored him soon enough. Or because they weren't satisfying enough. His fingers circled the puckered, loose hole, feeling it's softness beneath his fingertips, smearing his cum around the tightness before pushing in once again. This was the most satisfying hole he had ever claimed and he was certain to never let go of the boy it belonged to.

“Within me, please”, mewled Percy with half-lid eyes. “Take me again, please, I want more...”

A pleased grin spread over Triton's face. All the reason more why this boy was perfect. Because even after getting fucked seven times since waking up this morning, the former demi-god still begged for more. The green-eyed beauty couldn't get enough of the merman's cock, just as the heir of the sea couldn't get enough of the boy's tightness.

“You're so beautiful when you beg”, purred Triton and leaned down to kiss the teen.

He positioned himself in front of the already loosened hole, pressing slightly and agonizingly slow into it. A groan escaped him as the heat embraced him eagerly. Two big hands slid down to the former demi-god's midsection, tenderly caressing it, making Percy whine again.

“Yours”, mewed the half-blood and licked his lips. “Your child within me...”

Nodding in agreement, the merman kept stroking the bulged stomach of his consort as he started to thrust into the channels of his lover. By now, the belly of his consort was only bulged with the amount of cum within it, but Triton knew it would soon start to grow with life.

“Beautiful”, moaned the merman and increased his pace.

“Harder”, whimpered Percy wantonly. “Please, touch me, I want to cum, I want to cum for you, my husband, please, I want you to cum, too!”

“How could I deny my beautiful wife?”, smirked the older son of Poseidon cheekily and removed one of his hands reluctantly from the boy's midsection to wrap his fingers around the hardness poking straight into his direction. “I'll make you cum. Again and again. For all eternity.”

“Yes”, hissed the teen and came hard. “Please, you too, I want your cum, for all eternity!”

Hearing those words, Triton followed his consort and came deep within the boy for what felt like the hundredth time (and probably also was). He collapsed satisfied next to his wife and grinned.


	5. Lovely News and New Loves

2\. Lovely News and New Loves

 

Percy yawned tiredly, which in itself seemed odd for him. He had spend the past three weeks in bed, after all. If only Triton would have let him sleep from time to time, too. A blush spread over his cheeks at the sheer thought of all the things they had done in their time together. Stretching his legs, he smiled satisfied. It felt good to move his legs again. To walk again. Feeling the soft breeze on his skin was good.

“Well, well, well, if it isn't Lady Percy”, snickered a voice. “Such honor to receive your visit!”

“Hey, I'm a lord now, don't be so cheeky with me!”, grunted Percy with a pout.

“He's right, Clarisse. You don't know what he's capable of”, smirked Nico.

The two half-bloods were standing at the shore, obviously teaching some newbies. The newest additions to camp gaped at him. Understandingly so, he was a god now after all.

“PERCY!”, called three other voices and in less than a second he had a blonde, a ginger and a satyr hanging from his neck.

“Hey, guys”, grinned the son of Poseidon and hugged them.

They were joined by Clarisse and Nico, resulting in a slightly awkward group-hug.

“It's so good to see you again!”, smiled Annabeth.

“I've only been away for three weeks now, it's not that long”, snorted Percy and rolled his eyes.

“So how is it being your brother's wife?”, asked the brunette with one raised eyebrow.

Blushing furiously, the green-eyed boy shrugged. “It's... unexpectedly nice.”

“Seems he's very protective”, noted Rachel curiously.

“Yeah. How did you figure that out?”, asked Percy and blinked surprised.

His best friend just pointed at a rock in the waving water. Green eyes widened as he saw the slightly annoyed looking two-tailed merman sitting on top of it.

“My, that's cute”, giggled Annabeth and hit her best friend's upper arm.

“How about we move out of your very watchful husband's eyes and talk for a little while?”, asked Nico curiously and nodded over to the camp.

“Sure thing, Ghost Prince”, smiled Percy, waving at his husband a last time.

“Sorry, kids, but due to our honorable visitor, we'll skip training today”, announced Clarisse. “Go play, or something like that. We'll see you at dinner.”

The children scattered and the little group headed back to camp.

“So... Are you going to stay here now? Tired of living beneath the surface already?”, asked Grover curiously as they reached the dining area.

They sat together at the Hades table, Nico sitting down next to Percy with Annabeth on his lap, Grover, Rachel and Clarisse opposite of them.

“There's no way I'll ever tire of the sea”, whispered the son of Poseidon wistfully.

“How is it... I mean, living down there?”, wanted Annabeth to know. “It was so overwhelming being down there for your wedding. The water and the fishes and... just everything! I can't imagine how living in the sea would be!”  
“Well... It is amazing”, smiled Percy and shrugged leisurely. “There's no place I'd rather be than in the palace...”

“Are you sure? I mean, with Lady Amphitrite... She made it rather obvious that she despises you wholeheartedly”, grunted the son of Hades next to him, his eyebrows knitted in worry.

A stupid grin spread over the Sea Prince's lips. “She's no problem. Dad keeps her away from me, he always keeps a watchful eye on me. Though... Well, they're fighting often because of me...” His smile turned into a frown. “It bothers me that I seem to stand between my dad and his very-long-time-wife, but he says I shouldn't worry about it...”

“At least you got your dad covering your back”, smiled Rachel. “But what about your... brother-turned-husband? I mean, you two never got along... Is he... treating you right?”

The son of Poseidon blushed furiously and nodded slowly. The satyr opposite of him raised an eyebrow at that and locked eyes with the Ghost Prince. Of their little group they were probably the ones understanding the godly world best. Chances were high that Triton wasn't treating Percy good, arranged marriage didn't have to go well.

“A bit more vocal maybe?”, chuckled Clarisse and leaned back some.

“I... yeah. I guess. It's... all still very new. We only returned to the castle two days ago. And... I don't know how life as a family will be, how being married will be. Until now we've just... Uh... you know, we did what people do when they're on their honeymoon...”

The Sea Prince's blush deepened while the blonde next to him gasped.

“How does sex with a merman work?”

“Oh goodness, please! Shut your daughter-of-Athena-brain for once!”, groaned Percy embarrassed and shook his head.

“He's right. I seriously do not need to know the details about Percy's sex-life”, agreed Nico.

“Yeah, I'd rather know what he's doing here if he's still trying to adjust to life as a housewife”, smirked the daughter of Ares and wriggled her eyebrows.

“That would have been my next question, too”, nodded Grover curiously. “Aside from the housewife- part.”

“I'm here because I have to visit my parents. And on my way I wanted to talk with Chiron”, explained Percy.

“And what is it you'd like to talk with him about?”, asked Annabeth concerned.

“Nothing bad!”, smiled the green-eyed god and held his hands up to calm his friend. “I just... Triton and I talked about... stuff and...”

“Please, try to explain it with... more words”, chuckled the Ghost Prince amused.

“Okay”, sighed the young lord, his arms crossed in front of him. “So, we talked about eternity and all of that. I'm a warrior, I can't just... live in a palace and take care of the family. I can't just sit around for all eternity and do nothing. So we came to the agreement that I'd get a job.”

“A job?”, laughed Clarisse. “You manage to get out of this whole mess we mortals call life by turning into a god and now you want exactly what most people would flee from?”

“Not such a job. Not a job like, working on a nine to five base, sitting in an office... I mean a job as trainer at camp”, answered the son of Poseidon.

“Really?”, exclaimed the others surprised.

“Yeah. I've fought in two wars against ancient deities, maybe in a few generations when the next war threatens to break loose, it would come in handy if the demi-gods are trained by someone who had fought in wars before. Besides, I don't want to loose my connection to the mortal world.”

“And how do you plan on making that work?”, asked the blonde confused. “With living in the sea and all...”

“We thought about the summer. I'd only work here during the summer time, two months a year. He had been pouting and said that he doesn't want to share me with some half-bloods, but in the end... well, I found a very effective way to persuade him into giving in”, smirked Percy.

“And that's the point where I plead you to stop talking”, interrupted the son of Hades.

“So... this means you'll stay here for the next months?”, questioned Grover confused.

“Ah... No...”, the Sea Prince once again blushed. “Triton had one rule for that and... There's something I wanted to tell you, too...”

“What? Did something happen, then?”, asked the daughter of Athena once again concerned.

“Uh... Yeah... I... don't know how to say it”, sighed the young lord and worried his lips.

“Just spill it, seaweed brain”, grunted Clarisse annoyed.

“I'm pregnant.”

The silence following this statement was nearly unbearable for Percy. He shifted nervously and looked from one of his friends over to the next.

“Jeez, just say something!”, groaned the son of Poseidon unnerved.

“How... is that even possible?”, was the first thing that came to Rachel's mind.

“It seems that demi-god children of Poseidon are able to carry children, regardless of if they're boys or girls... Or so Triton said... And, well, now I'm pregnant. That's the reason I came here. I... wanted to tell you and I need to go and tell my mom and Paul...”

“P... Pregnant...”, repeated Annabeth slowly. “That's... very amazing... I'm going to be an aunt!”

She squealed uncharacteristically girly and jumped her best friend, nearly suffocating him.

“Okay... so you're not freaked out by it?”, laughed Percy and returned the hug.

“Why should we? Come on, this is Greek mythology. Weirder stuff had happened”, chuckled Clarisse and patted his back. “Congrats on becoming a mother.”

“We're fine with it as long as you're fine with it. So the real question is: How do you feel about it?”, asked the son of Hades with one raised eyebrow.

“I... If I'm honest, I'm not so sure”, confessed the Sea Prince and bit his lips. “I want kids. I've always wanted kids. But I don't know how to feel about the situation... Triton is very possessive, but that doesn't mean he harbors deeper feelings for me...”

“So you think he only wants you for bed?”, asked Grover, trying to keep a straight face.

“The problem is that I don't know! We've spend the last three weeks in bed, all our relationship consists of for now is sex. We haven't talked about... feelings and stuff... And I don't... I don't want to ask, because I'm... afraid of the possible answer”, sighed Percy.

“Maybe you should man up and demand an answer from him. And demand that he gives you the right answer, because otherwise he'll have a bunch of pissed-off half-bloods kicking his ass”, grunted Clarisse matter-of-factly.

Not sure if he wanted to sob or to laugh, the Sea Prince shook his head as his friends nodded theirs in agreement.

“You're the best, guys”, smiled Percy weakly. “I... guess you're right. Yeah. You're right.” A spark of confidence returned into the sea-green eyes and the son of Poseidon nodded in determination. “So, tell me about camp. What did I miss in the last three weeks?”

“Oh, a lot!”, grinned Annabeth broadly. “You missed out on all the drama!”

“What drama?”

“Well, let's just say you're not the only half-blood-turned-god now”, smirked Clarisse. “Guess who's going to burn all of Olympus down from now on.”

“You mean... Leo truly agreed?”, whispered Percy unbelieving. “But what about Piper...?”

After the war had been over, every one of the seven prophetic heroes had been offered something. For Leo and Percy it had been immortality. And while Percy had turned it down (for the second time now, which angered Zeus beyond belief), Leo had said he needed time to think about it.

“That's the thing”, shrugged Annabeth. “You know how Lady Artemis had offered Piper a spot in her hunting party to show future children of Aphrodite that even they can be brave and strong and not only concerned about their appearance. She and Leo had talked about it for days. And now Leo's the new Lord of Fire, while Piper joined the hunters of Artemis.”

“Oh... And what does Jason think about that?”, asked the son of Poseidon concerned.

“He, along with Reyna, Hazel and Frank, left for Camp Jupiter again”, shrugged Rachel.

Silence befell them for a moment. “Would you excuse me for a little while so I can talk to Chiron?”

“Sure. Take your time”, nodded Grover. “We'll see you later on, though?”

“Of course”, smiled the Sea Prince and got up to go to the Big House.

 

/break\

 

Pleased by the outcome of his conversation with Chiron, the young lord walked back to the dining hall with the centaur.

“I'm actually very glad you've decided to come and help us out”, smiled the trainer. “I'm sure you'll do great as a trainer.”

“Well, I learned from the best”, smirked Percy.

Chiron laughed softly and shook his head. “Times at camp are going to change, indeed.”

“Not only times at camp”, corrected the son of Poseidon.

“Ah. I feared you'd turn Olympus upside-down”, nodded the centaur.

They reached the dining hall and Percy felt overwhelmed by all the voices and happy chattering. Camp had such a feeling to it and the former demi-god truly had missed it. If only the slightest bit. He wanted to head over to the Poseidon table, but he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. Chiron smiled at him and shook his head. So the Sea Prince followed the centaur to the main table. As everyone sat down and the trainer clapped his hands, the noise slowly died down.

“My dear campers, as you may already have noticed, we have a very special guest tonight! Lord Perseus, god of rain”, announced Chiron in a booming voice.

The newest campers looked at the young lord in awe, all of them clapping cheerfully.

“He brought grand news with him”, continued the centaur. “Lord Perseus offered to teach combat during summer, starting next year.”

Half-bloods from all tables started to cheer and Percy felt relieved that he was welcomed like that. Camp had always been his home, in one way or the other, and it would always be.

From that point on, dinner went as it always did. Just the way he remembered it. It was nice that some things haven't changed now that his whole life was turned upside-down.

“Tell me, Percy, what do you plan on doing now?”, asked Chiron.

“I want to visit Paul and mom”, smiled the son of Poseidon. “I have some grand news for them, too. I thought I could borrow Blackjack for that. I mean, now that I'm a god, Zeus wouldn't blast me.”

“Of course”, nodded the centaur. “Though, if you don't mind me asking, what news do you have?”

“Ah...”, the Sea Prince blushed brightly. “I'm pregnant.”

“Congratulations. I wouldn't have thought you two would take that step so early in your marriage.”

“You're... not very surprised”, noticed the young god with one raised eyebrow.

“I've trained heroes for such a long time. Children of Poseidon, too”, reminded the centaur him.

“Figures”, chuckled the son of Poseidon amused.

 

/break\

 

The insecure feeling hadn't left him, even though he knew that Zeus wouldn't kill him (wouldn't be able to kill him anymore). His arms were tightly wrapped around Blackjack's neck.

“No need to worry, boss. You and the little boss are save with me!”, assured the pegasus.

Percy had to smile at that. It seemed his be-winged buddy was rather eager to become an uncle.

“Just... hurry, please”, muttered the son of Poseidon unnerved.

“Sure thing, boss!”, grinned Blackjack and sped through the skies of New York.

It was hard to suppress the urge to kiss the ground once they landed in front of his parents' house.

“Thank you, Blackjack. Can you wait for me?”, asked Percy and patted the horse's head.

The pegasus whined and nodded. It felt odd, coming home now. He knew where the hidden key was stowed, so he let himself into the house. The joyful voice of his mother rang through the whole house, followed by his step-father's laughter. Sneaking through the house, he came up behind his step-father in the living room. The couple was cozily seated on the couch, watching 'The Little Mermaid', eating popcorn and chatting about the movie.

“Oh, you know how Percy used to sing along to 'Under the Sea'?”, laughed Sally.

“Don't talk like I'm out of the world, mom”, chided Percy with a soft smile.

His parents jumped in surprise and whirled around, staring at him wide-eyed. It took Sally Blofis not even the quarter of a second to engulf her son into a bone-crushing hug, pulling him over the back of the couch and down between the couple.

“Percy! What are you doing here? Oh, I've missed you! I know it had only been three weeks, but it still felt so lonely without you! How are you? Is Lord Triton treating you right? How is your father? Are you feeling well?”

“Mom! Mom, stop”, laughed Percy. “Slow down a bit.”

“How are you?”, repeated Sally, once she had breathed deeply and calmed down enough to sort her thoughts through, her hand lingering on her son's cheek.

“I'm... pregnant. That's how I am”, whispered the teen and bit his lips.

“Oh”, was all his mother said at that.

“How?”, was the first thing Paul found himself able to say.

“It's... something Poseidon had warned me about once we knew Percy would be a boy... That even sons of Poseidon can bear children... I... never knew when or how to tell you and when you got together with Annabeth, I thought it may not rise the need to tell you at all... I'm sorry, I should have told you, Percy...”

“Not a problem, mom”, smiled Percy and laid his hand on top of his mother's. “Triton told me before we... uh... you know...”

“Before you made the baby?”, chuckled Sally amused.

“Yeah...”, nodded the young god flustered.

“I'm going to be a grandfather!”, grinned Paul stupidly. “Damn, kiddo, it's never getting bored with you, right?”

“Nope!”, grinned his step-son back.

“So”, coughed the woman of the household to gain her boys' attention. “How is it being married? Is Lord Triton treating you right?”

“Uh... Yeah, Triton is great...”

The goofy grin on Percy's lips would have been answer enough for his parents, though.

“So, soon-to-be-grandmother and soon-to-be-grandfather, you think I can join your little movie-night? I wanted to spend the night here, you know... a bit bonding time and... fresh air instead of fresh water for a change.”

“Percy, my dear, you know you will always been welcomed here, right? This will always be your home, even though you're married, even though you start your own family now”, smiled Sally.

“Thanks, I'm glad to hear that”, whispered her son and leaned against her shoulder.

She laid an arm around him as Paul pressed the play button again. He had always loved their movie nights, especially when they were watching his favorite movie.

“You know I won't stop coming over just because I'm a god, right?”, murmured Percy and yawned tiredly. “Your grandchildren need to get to know you, after all...”

His eyelids felt like lead and he yawned again. It didn't take long for him to doze off. Paul chuckled good-natured at his step-son and stood.

“I guess I'll bring him to bed, then? He had a hard day”, whispered the teacher.

“Don't worry, I will do that”, interrupted him a dark voice from behind them.

Paul jumped slightly and whirled around, Sally's eyes searched for the source of the voice. It took them both a moment to recognize the man, because he was missing something major. His tails.

“Lord Triton! What are you doing here?”, blinked Sally surprised.

“I've...”, the god coughed awkwardly.

A knowing smile sneaked onto Sally's lips. “You missed him.”

“I found it worrisome that Perseus decided to travel via foot and pegasus instead of just beaming over here”, grunted the god curtly.

Before he could reach down to collect his sleeping consort, he got stopped by a frail hand. Normally it wouldn't have stopped him, but he felt obliged to hear his mother-in-law out first. This was her house, after all. And he knew that Percy cared a great deal about his mortal family.

“Yes, Missus Blofis?”, asked Triton neutrally.

“Please, call me mom, we are family now after all”, smiled the woman softly.

It was the same enchanting smile he adored on Percy's lips.

“Well... Mom”, it tasted odd on his tongue to call this mortal mother. “What is it?”  
“There's something I... really need to know”, sighed Sally and folded her hands in her lap.

Triton lifted his consort up bridal-style, pressing the small frame against his chest while he waited patiently for the woman to continue. He wouldn't admit it but he had missed the lad in the past hours. More than he would have thought.

“I... respect the odd customs of the gods. I respect that Percy choose his father's decision instead of seeking his luck on his own. And I will respect that you are now his husband. But I need to know what kind of feelings you harbor for my son.”

Silence fell between the three adults for a couple of seconds. Paul frowned at that and crossed his arms in front of his chest. He didn't approve of this silence.

“I am sorry, but I will not answer this question.”

“Why not?”, growled the male mortal and took one step towards the other man.

Sure, this was a god. But Percy was his son by anything but blood and if this guy wasn't giving Percy the love he deserved, wasn't cherishing him the way he deserved to be cherished, then Paul Blofis would kick some godly ass.

“It would not be fair to Perseus for I have not expressed my feelings to him yet. And he should be the first to hear this. I do understand that you wish to know, but you need to understand that I can't tell you if I haven't even told him yet.”

“And why haven't you?”, grunted Paul annoyed. “You two were three weeks all alone and you managed to knock him up in that time. But you didn't find the time to say 'I love you'?”

“Love, don't be so hard on him”, laughed Sally softly. “I suppose it's hard for them both, a new situation that needs adjustment first.”

“That is right... mom. I find it hard to express such words. It is not the way I was raised.”

“I will let you go with that. For now”, smiled Sally. “But keep in mind that Percy is a very special boy. Not only for the obvious reasons. He is very much like your father. He's wild, untamed like the sea. And if you don't give him a reason to stay, he won't.”

“Thank you for the advice”, nodded the god.

His mother-in-law nodded with a small smile before she stood. “I think it's late. It's time for bed. Come with me, I'll show you Percy's room.”

The couple led him upstairs to a door, Paul opened it for him and the two wished him a good night. Triton was only slightly overwhelmed by the amount of blue things in the bedroom. It was rather obvious whose bedroom this was. Triton walked over to the bed and laid his charge down on top of it before turning around to take a look around in the room. There was a flower next to the windowsill, a silver moonlace. Beautiful thing, shimmering in the moonlight. On a pin-board next to the window were a lot of photos. Photos with faces he had secretly been learning in the course of the last three weeks. Because it was important for him to know the ones his consort held dear.

There was one photo with a younger Percy, right next to a smiling Annabeth and a broadly grinning Grover. Another showed Rachel Elizabeth Dare in a school-girl-uniform, holding hands with Percy and smiling into the camera. There was one with Nico, Clarisse and Percy, all three of them badly beaten, but smiling brightly. Maybe it had been taken after a battle. In the middle of the pin-board was a rather big photo with the crew of the Argo II on their way to Athens. One photo showed Percy, playing fetch with his hell-hound, Tyson and Ella cheering them on. There were also two family-photos. One with Sally in a beautiful wedding dress and Paul in a tux with Percy in the middle. The other with a much younger Sally, who held a baby in her arms.

The bedsheets were with a Finding Nemo motive, which the god found oddly cute. As cute the teen who was staring at him. Wait.

“Did I wake you?”, asked Triton in a low voice.

“Nah, I haven't slept”, smiled his younger brother drowsily and yawned. “I only rested my eyes...”

“You... were awake the whole time...”

An awkward silence befell them as the older male realized what his consort had heard. Great. This was not how Triton had planned it. Not that he had a plan at all. What he had said to the Blofis-couple was true. His mother hadn't really taught him how to express feelings, it was not the way he had been raised. Still, he was sure there would have been a better way for such a confession.

“Uh... You don't have to... you know... I mean... If you don't... you don't have to...”, interrupted Percy his musings, insecurity and defeat evident in his voice.

The young god smiled weakly at him, not even half convincing, probably because the teen was beyond tired by now. Triton huffed at that and crossed his arms.

“You're a really bad liar”, stated the older god irritated.

“I know”, grinned the half-blood with a shrug. “But I... I mean it. You don't have to say it if you don't mean it. I... would like to hear it, but not if you don't mean it.”

Wrapping his arms around his torso, the teen averted his eyes. A sigh escaped Triton's lips and he walked up to the bed to sit beside his consort. Slowly he laid one arm around the smaller male's back and the other around Percy's front, his hand resting on top of the boy's stomach. He leaned down until his lips brushed the former demi-god's ear.

“I love you”, breathed Triton against the teen's skin.

“I... I said I don't want to hear it if you don't mean it”, whispered Percy a bit angered. “You're only saying that because of mom and Paul...”

“No”, disagreed the merman-turned-man determined. “I'm saying that because it's true. I... may have gone into this marriage with lust for your body, but... you're quite amazing. The way you smile makes my heart flutter, what in itself is a very strange thing for me. I could... stare into your eyes for hours, not only because of their beautiful and unique color, but because of all the emotions they show. And I found it rather surprising that you truly complete me. In the past thousands of years I've had my fair share of lasses and lads in my bed, but you... You're so eager to submit, to finally give control over to someone else, you fulfill every phantasy I've ever had. You're perfection and I am glad to call you my own. I'm not... good with this stuff. I won't go to bed every night and say 'I love you, sweetheart', but I need you to know that I do. You made me fall for you in the past three weeks and I will not give you away ever again. You're... carrying my child and you need to know that you mean more to me than a simple relief of primal urges.”

Percy laid one hand on top of his husband's and pulled Triton's face close with the other and their lips met in a fierce kiss. They leaned back until they were laying down. Rolling over some, the teen found himself on top of the older god, straddling Triton's hips. Both were breathless as they parted.

“I love you too”, smiled Percy against the other's lips, his fingers drawing little symbols on the older man's torso. “Thank you... I... I'm glad. I mean, I'm glad that this is not only going to be sex... I want a real family, with love and all of that stuff...”

“And that's what you'll get”, grunted Triton with a slight smirk. “But that doesn't mean we'll cut down on the sex.”

His hands wandered around the boy to grope the round firmness, causing the teen to squeal.

“Not now!”, hissed the younger one with a vibrant blush. “My parents are next door!”

“So what?”, grunted the taller man. “We'll live in the same palace as both our father and my mother. How would that be any different from having sex in your parents' house?”

“It just is! The palace is gigantic! We're living in a whole different wing! But my parents are right now only separated from us by a thin wall!”, replied the hero annoyed.

“We're gods”, pointed Triton out and rolled his eyes. “Don't you think we're able to isolate our sounds? Sound-proof isn't that hard. They won't hear a thing. And I really want you right now.”

“You always want me”, laughed Percy teasingly. “Because you're always horny.”  
“I object”, smirked the merman-turned-human and rolled them over to rest between his consort's legs. “I've not always been horny. It's only you who makes me so horny.”

“So now it's my fault?”, smiled the younger male and started unbuttoning Triton's dress-shirt.

“Of course it is, you little tease”, murmured Triton and kissed down the teen's collar-bone, gripping the bothersome shirt to remove it. “You don't have to bend over half as often as you do. What else am I supposed to do than take you when you wriggle that perfectly shaped ass in front of me?”

“We really need to work on your self-control”, laughed Percy and kissed his husband.

“I find my self-control very good”, disagreed Triton with one raised eyebrow. “I haven't ravished you in camp, after all. And I waited until your conversation with your parents was over.”

“That's right... What are you doing here anyway? You said you don't like being human...”

The young Sea Prince trailed his hands down his husband's legs and up again to open the pants' button. Triton sat up some and freed himself from his clothes, also getting rid of his pretty one's clothes until they were laying naked on the bed.

“I don't like being human”, nodded the merman, placing tender kisses down the boy's torso. “But it seems that there is something else I dislike even more...”

“A... And what would that be?”,murmured Percy curiously, his hands fisted into the older male's hair, enjoying the softness of Triton's lips.

“Being apart from you”, admitted the merman-turned-human, one hand finding it's way to the teen's legs, which were willingly parted wide for him to have access to the younger male's entrance.

“That... was very cheesy”, giggled the smaller male.

His giggling was interrupted however as two fingers pushed into him without a warning. A strangled, slightly needy gasp escaped his lips.

“It was only the truth. But if the truth is too cheesy for you, then I can stop telling you.”

“No!”, exclaimed Percy. “I... I just meant that I wouldn't have thought you'd ever say such cheesy things. That doesn't mean I don't like hearing them, though...”

Removing his fingers from the hole, which clenched down on them hungrily, Triton positioned the tip of his for now human cock at the muscle ring. Gripping the teen's hips in a bruising manner he pushed in, welcomed by the tight heat of his lover.

“You fit me perfectly”, moaned Triton once he was completely seated within the teen.

“And you fill me perfectly”, replied Percy with a cheeky grin, biting his lips.

“Hush, don't get cheeky on me or I'll have to punish you”, smirked the older god.

“Isn't your hand getting lame from all the spanking?”, laughed the younger son of Poseidon.

“Of coloring those creamy-white cheeks the fitting redness they deserve? Never”, growled Triton and kissed the former demi-god harshly.

Percy moaned eagerly into the kiss as his husband started thrusting into him. How much he enjoyed those spankings, nearly as much as he enjoyed the huge merman-cock up his ass. Though it seemed Triton's human modification weren't any shorter either.

“My, my, what would our father say if he knew what a naughty, naughty little thing you are?”, whispered Triton curiously. “I guess he would be shocked. And angry. How could the little hero he's so proud of be such a naughty slut?”

He observed how his consort writhed in need, obviously getting more aroused the more he talked. Finding this kind of odd, he decided to play the game a little longer and see how his lover would react. All the while he abused that by now well-used hole as hard as possible, enjoying those little winces his pretty one would make the next day. He liked how those would remind Percy with every step he took that he belonged to Triton.

“I think he would be outraged. He certainly would punish you for such a wanton behavior. Certainly a hard spanking would be in need here.”

The teen's cock was leaking pre-cum, his arousal becoming undeniable. A whimper, begging for more, followed by a little mewling sound, the ones he tended to make whenever Triton had him over his lap and was obediently begging for more. It wasn't hard to guess what the teen was thinking about. A wicked smirk tugged on Triton's lips.

“Having you over his lap on the throne, giving you what you deserve. A punishment for being such a needy slut. And being the needy slut you are you'd certainly enjoy it, wouldn't you?”, accused the taller male in a deep, dark voice, biting the teen's neck and fisting the leaking cock.

Percy tried his best to suppress the images his brain supplied him with, or the sounds that threatened to escape him, but it seemed to be a harder task with every word spoken by his husband. He couldn't possibly let Triton know, though. They were married for less than a month now. How was he supposed to tell his brother/husband that he was lusting after their father? Especially after the possessive ways in which Triton made sure to remind Percy that he belonged to Triton and Triton alone. Certain way to end a marriage before it even really started.

“I'm sure you would lay there, whimpering and whining, enjoying it thoroughly. And then... Once dad is finished with your beautiful ass, you'd be achingly hard like you always are. You're a real little bitch, so eager to submit, I'm sure you'd beg for more after that. You can't live with only a spanking, you'd need more. You'd beg for dad's cock, wouldn't you? Beg him to make you his bitch”, murmured Triton, licking Percy's ear-shell.

The teen came harder than he did since their wedding-night. Triton came nearly the same moment his lover did, loving the tight friction of Percy's ass. The taller man fell down next to his lover, pulling the teen close, both his arms tightly wrapped around the boy's midsection, caressing the still flat stomach in which he knew their child was growing. Both were breathless and silent for a moment, Percy ashamed and Triton intrigued. There were a lot of possibilities as to what he could do with this new information. But for now he settled on ignoring it.

“You're mine and mine alone and if I ever catch you cheating on me, regardless of with who that might be, you will regret it like you've never regretted anything before in your life. I hope you understand that, Perseus.”

“I...”, Percy paused and sighed. “I didn't plan on cheating on you. Especially not with our father. It's just... a stupid thing I can't get out of my head. But I promise you, I'll... try harder. I'm not like the other gods, I will never be unfaithful. I may have... special needs or urges and I may be... a needy slut, but one that will be pleased by you alone.”

Triton smirked at that and kissed the boy's neck. He knew this wasn't true, he knew how much an obsession could grow. His own obsession with Perseus had resulted in a marriage and a baby after all. The teen in his arms however had already doozed off.

 

/break\

 

“So, children, how did you sleep?”, was the first thing Sally said at the breakfast table the next morning, smiling knowingly at them.

That was the moment it dawned on Triton that he had, in all his horniness, completely forgotten to tune their noise out. Percy gaped at her with a blush before throwing a death glare at Triton.


	6. III. Interlude: Difficult Situation

III. Interlude: Difficult Situation

 

Triton grinned satisfied as he fell onto the bed next to his consort after he had once again filled his lover's needy ass with his cum, which had long since become his favorite pastime. Though his grin died all too soon as he heard sobbing next to him.

“Perseus?”, asked the merman confused. “Are you crying?”

“I am going to be a horrible parent”, whimpered the teen distressed and clutched his very round stomach, curling together to a ball. “I—I keep putting my own needs first, because I love your cock so much, but what if that's not good for the kid? I mean, you keep filling the place our child is growing in with your cum! How is he or she supposed to feel about that? You're a horrible person! A—And I am too, because I can't stop wanting it!”

Tears streamed down the half-blood's cheeks and the older son of Poseidon stared down at his consort completely at a loss for words. How was he supposed to handle that?! Though he decided on a whim what to do next and he stood to leave the bedroom.

“And now you're leaving me!”, screamed Percy after him under tears.

Triton hurried to the throne room where he found his father engaged in a conversation with one of his subordinates. The Sea God paused upon seeing his heir and looked at him quizzically.

“Percy is crying! I have no idea why, but after we had sex, he started crying!”, exclaimed the merman distressed. “I don't know what I'm supposed to do now!”

His father just stared at him for a moment with a blank face and then started to laugh hard. Triton grunted angered at his father's amusement. This situation was anything but funny!

“Forgive me”, chuckled Poseidon and shook his head. “But your unnecessary panic reminded me of my own back when Sally had been like that. It seems to be a hysteric trade in the Jackson-family.”

“And what am I supposed to do now?! I can't just sit idly and watch how my wife cries his beautiful eyes out and listen to him claiming to be a horrible mother!”, grunted Triton irritated.

A contemplating look passed Poseidon's face before he nodded slowly and stood. The Sea God passed his oldest son and swam through his palace to the room his sons were living in. The merman followed, even though he had no idea what his father had in mind. Even before they entered the bedroom, they could hear the sobbing of the boy they loved. Once inside, the Sea God made a gesture with his hands, resulting in Percy being dressed again. Even though Poseidon would have enjoyed looking at his naked beautiful, highly-pregnant son some longer, but seeing the teen crying like that was breaking his heart. Once Percy was dressed in casual clothes, he swam up to the boy and lifted him bridal-style, his older son swimming up to them, too. Before Triton could even voice the question on his tongue, the older god had teleported them out of the palace. The merman found himself in the living room he had visited not all that long ago and transformed right back into his human form, even though he didn't like it much. Paul and Sally Blofis were looking at them wide-eyed and confused, sitting on the couch and watching a movie.

“Sally, Paul”, nodded Poseidon. “I think Percy has a problem only his mother can help him with.”

He sat the teen down on the couch next to the mortal woman and Percy turned teary eyed to her, slung his arms around her neck and started crying into her shoulder.

“I'm going to be a horrible mother!”, exclaimed the half-blood hysterically.

“Oh, my dear”, whispered Sally and patted her son's back, hugging him close.

Paul shifted a bit uncomfortable and stood as his step-son fell into a rant about his horny sex-life, things the teacher really didn't need to know about the boy. So he stood and looked at the two gods.

“Can I offer you something? Hard alcohol and cigars, for example?”, grunted the mortal man.

Throwing an uncertain glance at his consort, the merman nodded. It looked as if his mother-in-law had control over the situation. The three men left for the kitchen to give them some privacy.


	7. A Pregnant Son Turned Father, A Turned On Father Impregnating His Son

3\. A Pregnant Son Turned Father, A Turned On Father Impregnating His Son

 

Two blades clashed, sparks flying at the impact. One of the fighters turned swiftly around, placing a knife at the throat of the other, who went down in slight surprise.

“I win”, the one with the knife whispered with a cheeky grin.

“Yep. And the winner is... once again Percy”, declared the slightly bored looking Latino, who was watching them from a rock. “You know, Ares, for being the god of fighting, you don't really put much effort into this.”

The older god snorted annoyed as Percy dropped the knife and helped him off the ground.

“It's not like I can really fight the brat”, grunted Ares irritated.

“Oh please, just because you're afraid of dad and Triton”, grinned Percy teasingly.

“Stupid punk”, muttered the older god and turned around.

“Wait! Where are you going? You promised me more sparing!”, called the green-eyed god with a slight pout.

“I am sick of those not-sparings. I want to whip your ass”, muttered Ares offended. “But those two won't even allow me that bit of fun...”

The God of War disappeared, leaving the two former demi-gods on their own. Leo turned to his friend with a cheeky grin.

“Whipping? Did Triton try that yet?”, snickered the Fire God.

“Shut up”, hissed Percy with a vibrant blush. “You are an idiot and I sometimes wonder why we are friends to begin with!”

“Because I am the only other half-blood turned god you know”, shrugged Leo. “And the gods are seriously way too crazy. You need someone remotely normal.”

“Emphasis on 'remotely'”, grunted the son of Poseidon and rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, because nothing related to the gods is normal”, grinned the son of Hephaestus. “You know, you should better get going before your husband throws one of his jealousy-fits.”

“You're probably right”, nodded the green-eyed god worried. “Gotta hurry! Greet the hunters from me when you meet with them, alright?”

“Sure thing, dude!”, nodded Leo and waved his friend off.

 

/break\

 

“You are the most beautiful girl on this planet, aren't you?”

The Sea God stood in his throne room, holding a little baby in his arms. The mermaid giggled at him, her fingers trying to reach his face. Poseidon smiled softly down at her. Sea-green eyes stared up at him from an innocent little face.

“You're lucky you got your mother's eyes, my girl”, laughed Poseidon softly. “I think Amphitrite would have thrown a real fit if you had her genes in that. She despises your mother, you know?”

The young mermaid gurgled and tilted her head at her grandfather.

“That's because your grandmother is jealous”, explained the Sea God, tickling the baby's stomach. “Yeah, she is a mean, jealous old hag. Try saying that 'hag'.”

“Gah”, squealed the mermaid.

“Well, we'll work on that later on”, chuckled Poseidon, walking out into the coral reef garden. “She is jealous because she's no longer the greatest beauty in this palace. She's jealous because your mother is so much more beautiful and kind than she had ever been. Your mother is very lovely, isn't he? Yes, he is. The most beautiful thing in my sea.”

“Ma”, murmured the baby curiously.

“Yes, ma”, smiled her grandfather. “Your ma is very pretty, isn't he? It's too bad he's not around at the moment... The palace is so much more lively with him around. Though I guess you will turn it lively enough on your own soon, right? Little whirlwind like your mother, aren't you?”

The girl nodded enthusiastically as if she understood him and the god laughed at her.

“I knew that. Damn, you are one cute little thing”, he shook his head and caressed the baby's soft, black locks. “I wonder if a kid your ma and I would make would be as cute as you...”

“Of course it would. It would come from him, after all.”

Poseidon whirled around with one raised eyebrow and stared at his oldest son. Triton stood behind him, his arms crossed over his chest.

“How long are you already eavesdropping?”, grunted his father irritated.

“Since the part that my mother is a hag and my wife is a beauty, which is kind of odd to hear from my father”, growled Triton possessively and swam up to the older god.

Poseidon bit his lips and nodded. He had anticipated for this day for one year now. Deep down he knew this day was bound to come. The day Triton would realize that Poseidon was in love with Percy. You don't spend thousands of years together in one palace without knowing each other.

The giggling of the baby interrupted their glaring contest.

Triton looked down at her and smiled softly, taking her from his father.

“Hello, Attina, my pretty little girl”, cooed the merman. “You miss your mommy too, don't you?”

“When will Percy return?”, asked Poseidon, watching his son and his granddaughter.

“I honestly have no idea. Summer is over, he should arrive every day now. I still can't believe he seriously spend two damn months up there to teach those useless half-bloods”, grumbled his son.

“Without those useless half-bloods, we would have lost two wars already. And don't forget that your wife is one of them, too”, reminded the older god him.

“My wife. The one you would like to make a baby with”, grunted Triton with sharp eyes.

“There are many things I would like to do with Percy”, confessed his father after a short pause.

“Is this the reason you set us up to begin with?”, accused the younger god. “So he would be immortal and miserable? You had been so surprised that I wanted him. You had planned on our marriage going wrong so you could get him all to yourself, haven't you?”

“You know me better than I thought”, sighed Poseidon and nodded slowly. “I'm ashamed of this plan by now, to be honest. But I saw no other option. Now you have him. And you make him happy. And I can live with that. I want him, but more than that, I want him happy.”

Triton was watching him with a calculating and curious look. It was unnerving. The merman turned around and entered the palace again.

“Come with me, we have something to discuss. And I have my daughter to put to sleep”, ordered the younger god, swimming back to his bedroom.

Poseidon followed him reluctantly, not knowing what there was to discuss. The halls of their palace were silent, no screeching anymore since Amphitrite had left for her parents' place soon after Attina's birth. It was a huge relief for Poseidon, because his wife had seriously set him on edge in the past months of Percy living with them. As if it wasn't hard enough to see the beautiful youth every single day, putting up with Amphitrite wasn't helping any.

They reached the bedroom and Triton led the way over to a connection door. Poseidon remembered them demanding a nursery so they could have their 'private time'. The baby was put into the crib and the two gods returned to the parental bedroom.

“Well, you wanted to discuss this”, whispered Poseidon slowly.

“Yes”, nodded Triton and turned to face the window.

His father swam up to him and both stared outside at the coral reeves around the palace.

“What is there to discuss? You are the lucky one and got him. Like I said, all I want is for him to be happy. And, even though I would have never thought this would happen, you do make him happy.”

“You're right, dad”, agreed the merman. “I do make him happy. But I know something you obviously do not.”

“And that may be...?”

“Ah, we will get to that point later”, murmured Triton, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “You said something earlier that amuses me.”

“And what may that be?”, hummed Poseidon curiously.

“You wondered how your children with Perseus would turn out.”

“I... Yes”, grunted Poseidon, shifting some. “Look, I already said that I want him. And I would also want for him to carry my child. But he is yours and I respect that.”

“He may be mine, but there is something he desires that I can't give him.”

“And what may that be?”, asked the Lord of the Sea intrigued.

“You”, was the simple answer.

“Me? What do you mean?”, demanded Poseidon to know.

He stared at his oldest son with a dumbfounded expression.

“It is something I have noticed shortly after our honeymoon. I noticed that he wants you.” Triton paused, chuckling lightly. “He was too cute, promising me he would do his best to not want you. But he still does. I know. I can see it.”

“He... does?”, whispered his father unbelieving.

“Yes, he does. You may not notice his longing glances, because he tries to hide them. But they are there. He still wants you”, the merman paused for a moment. “We both want the same, you know. And that's not only Perseus in our own bed. It's for Perseus to be happy.”

“What are you saying, exactly?”, grunted Poseidon, not knowing if he should believe his assumption to be true.

“I am willing to share him with you. Only with you, though. I made my point to him very clear that he belongs to me alone. But I do know that there is something more between the two of you, something more than pure one-night-stand-shagging.”

“You are being serious”, noted his father in slight surprise.

“Yes, I am. But only under one condition”, warned Triton.

“It's entirely on your terms, son”, nodded Poseidon. “I'm listening.”

“He's _my_ wife. He will bear _my_ children. I will allow you one – and only one! And only if Perseus is alright with it. We have that deal. He's okay with bearing as many children as I want, but he decides when. It's his body, it's his decision. The same can be said about this whole discussion. It is up to him, though I do think he is more than willing.”

“That is very generous of you”, hummed Poseidon gratefully.

“I'm only doing it for him.”

“For who? And what?”, interrupted a curious voice them. “What are you two up to?”

The two older gods turned around in surprise, staring wide-eyed at the beautiful youth behind them. Percy was only wearing his Finding Nemo swimming-shorts, smiling broadly at them. He swam up to them, wrapping one arm around each of them.

“I missed you two”, grinned the teen.

“I missed you too, love”, smiled Triton softly, his hand wandering from the boy's back to his ass. “And that I missed even more.”

“You're way too horny”, chuckled Percy and turned some to kiss his husband. “How is our daughter? I missed her so much!”

“She is alright. She's asleep at the moment, though”, answered the merman.

“So”, drawled the half-blood-turned-god and brought some distance between them. “What have you two been up to before I interrupted?”

“We had a very interesting conversation, hadn't we, father?”

“I... yes, we did”, agreed Poseidon and coughed slightly.

“Ah, really? What about?”, asked the boy with innocent, wide eyes.

“You're way too cute, love”, chuckled Triton, caressing the teen's cheek.

“I know, I'm irresistible”, giggled the youngest and stuck his tongue out.

“Oh, you have no idea”, muttered Poseidon under his breath.

The merman carried his consort over to the bed, placing him softly on top of it. Percy wrinkled his eyebrows at that and stared up at his husband.

“Seriously, what's up?”, urged the Rain God and sat up some.

“Do you recall our conversation back when we were visiting your mortal parents?”

“The one about you being a dick because you forget to silent us?”, grunted Percy irritated.

“No, the one about you wanting our father to fuck you merciless”, smirked Triton.

The younger god blushed furiously and stared up at his husband unbelieving.

“Are you out of your freaking mind?!”, hissed Percy, not daring to look sideways at their father.

“No, I'm not. But I was having a very interesting conversation with our father. Concerning his own interest in you.” Percy just stared up at him with a gaping mouth, listening unable to form any words. “He does desire you. It was the reason he married us off to each other. Because he hoped that with the time you would spend with the gods, you will learn to adapt to their... ways. Little did he know you had your eyes set on him even before that.”

“What... are we talking about, exactly?”, asked the Rain God in a low voice.

Poseidon sat down next to them, leaving the explanation up to his older son, satisfied with watching the blush spreading over the beauty's face.

“I suggested to share you with him”, answered Triton. “And he expressed the wish to have a child with you. I allowed him one. Only one. And only if you agree. So what do you say?”

“I... Uh... Seriously?”, was all Percy could say, blinking wide-eyed.

“Yes, seriously”, interjected Poseidon with a honest expression.

“You... But... Amphitrite...”

“As you may have noticed, our relationship is more than strained these days. She hasn't moved back in yet. And by now, I would appreciate it if she would not do so. I want you more than I remember ever wanting her”, whispered the Sea God.

Percy tilted his head, staring from his brother over to his father and back again.

“Is this... some kind of very sick and twisted test of my loyalty?”, accused the youngest child of Poseidon and sat up more.

“You truly are too cute”, chuckled Triton, leaning down to kiss the boy, ripping the shorts off the lean frame of his lover.

“What?”, squealed the boy embarrassed.

“You want it, you will get it. And now spread your legs for our father, so he can take that wonderfully tight hole of yours until you scream and whimper”, smirked Triton, forcing his hands between the long legs, pushing them apart.

Percy gulped nervously, doing as his husband requested. His eyes were glued to their father, who watched him like a hungry predator. Triton made room for Poseidon and sat down next to Percy's head, caressing the soft, black hair of the teen. The oldest god sat down between the nicely spread legs of his half-blood child, his fingers skimming over the soft skin.

“You're so beautiful, Percy”, whispered Poseidon mesmerized.

“I... I... is it really true, dad?”, asked Percy insecure.

“That I want you? Yes”, murmured the older god, leaning down to capture his son's lips in a siring kiss, his hands wandering over the boy's body.

“Not that. That much I can see because of your erection pointing my way”, moaned Percy, spreading his legs some more. “The part where you... want a child with me...”

“Yes. Yes, watching you glowing with love and pride was probably the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I would love to see you glow like that, carrying my child”, admitted Poseidon.

Percy bit his lips, slinging his arms around his father's neck. His eyes were searching for his husband's, looking up at him questioningly. Triton scrunched his eyebrows confused for a second, before realization dawned on him.

“You want our father to knock you up. Now”, stated the merman.

Poseidon looked up in surprise. “What?”

“I can see it in his eyes. He's so eager”, smirked Triton, his fingers drawing figures on the teen's torso. “He had been quite eager for me to knock him up the first time, too.”

“Is that... true, Percy?”, asked their father, slowly lifting the boy's legs up to place them on his shoulders. “After such a long time of craving for it... would you truly allow me to impregnate you just now?”

“I... want Attina to have a sibling very close to her age so she has for now at least one to always play with her... So... if you want to, then... Yes, please”, nodded the Rain God.

Percy bit his lips and looked from one of them to the other. Triton's hand wandered from the teen's chest over to the flat stomach. He vividly remembered the pregnancy. Just the thought of it made him lick his lips.

“I'm all in for you being pregnant, love. You were incredibly horny. Sadly enough, that had kind of stopped after the birth. And you had to go and teach those half-bloods.”

“Don't be all grumpy, Triton”, grinned the boy teasingly. “I enjoyed my time under the sunlight thoroughly. I'm born a human. I need the contact to them, too. Besides, you get me ten months of the year, isn't that enough?”

“No. Not even twelve months of the year wouldn't be enough”, murmured the merman, leaning down to kiss his consort softly.

“You can be so cheesy”, grinned Percy stupidly, caressing his husband's cheek.

“That's most likely because of this cute expression you always wear when someone says something nice to you”, noted Poseidon with a smirk.

His hands wandered from the long legs to the teen's ass, parting those tempting cheeks to get access to the greedy hole he had longed to claim for way too long. Teasingly pushing into the tightness with one finger, he kissed his son's stomach. Percy moaned and writhed beneath him.

“I can't wait to see you pregnant with my child”, murmured the oldest of the three gods, inserting another finger to scissor his young lover.

“Dad”, moaned the boy, buckling his hips. “Stop teasing!”

“Now, now, love”, chided Triton. “You can do better than that. Don't tell me two months with your mortal friends made you forget how to properly beg.”

“Properly beg?”, repeated their father confused.

“Oh yes”, smirked the merman. “My pretty, little wife here is a real little bitch. The way he begs is so beautiful. You're going to love it, father.”

“Percy?”, chuckled Poseidon unbelieving.

“You're going to enjoy him thoroughly. And now back off some.”

Poseidon did as his oldest son told him, wondering for a moment what Triton had in mind now.

“Get on all fours, Perseus”, ordered the merman.

Percy did as he was told, kneeing on the bed, lifting his head to look expectantly up at his husband. He knew what was about to come. He knew how much the older son of Poseidon loved to turn his ass from a creamy-white color to a crimson-red. And he also knew how much he himself enjoyed those spankings. Wiggling his ass some, he tilted his head.

“What do you plan to do now?”, asked Poseidon, watching the nicely shaped ass.

“He is needy and I plan on giving him what he needs. And from now on, you may do that, too. So let me show you what that little slut needs most.”

He lifted his hand and brought it down on the soft butt full-force, causing the boy to moan in delight. The past months on earth had been nice, but there were some things he truly had missed. Poseidon stared at them wide-eyed.

“Come on, father. Give him what he needs”, offered Triton, placing a few more slaps on the boy's behind, watching it changing color.

“You mean... you want me to hit Percy?”, asked Poseidon unsure if he should take his oldest son serious at the moment.

“No. Not I want you to do so. He wants it”, corrected the merman. “Come on, tell him, Perseus.”

The teen bit his lips, hesitating for a moment. Though then the spanking stopped completely and he found himself unable to resist. He really needed it right now.

“Yes, please”, whimpered Percy. “I want you to spank me hard, daddy, please. I want a hard spanking as punishment for leaving the palace for two months. Please, punish me!”

“See”, smirked Triton and continued the spanking. “Needy, little bitch he is.”

Poseidon gulped hard, he couldn't believe his ears. In all his phantasies focusing on Percy, he had never dared to picture them in any way kinky. Knowing the boy, he would have thought, with all his innocence and cute naivety, he would be more the vanilla sex kind of guy. The beautiful ass became darker and darker, the sounds Percy made were now an utmost wanton.

“You're right, my dear. You do deserve a hard punishment for leaving me alone for such a long time. You rarely came to visit in those two months and if, you were only up to spreading your legs. Even though your top priority should be to be the obedient, little wife you are and to serve me.”

“I'm so sorry”, whimpered the teen, by now painfully hard. “I promise, I'll make up for that now! Please, take me the whole night, I want to feel you inside of me, Triton! And I want to feel you inside of me, too, Poseidon!”

“Now, now. No switching over to names here, love”, warned Triton. “I like it better when you call him daddy. What do you think, father? Does it not arouse you more to hear your pretty, little son begging his daddy to take him?”

Triton was in complete control, realized Poseidon. He knew exactly what he was doing and how to do it. He knew what his consort wanted and how to give it to the boy. If Poseidon wanted to be part of it, he needed his older son to guide him.

“You're right. Percy being such a needy bitch for his daddy's cock is so much better.”

“See, Perseus”, smirked Triton, still spanking the teen hard.

Percy's fingers were clawed into the bedsheets, his cock ached for attention, but he knew he wasn't allowed to touch himself. That had been the hardest part about the past two months, too.

“Please, daddy, spank me, please”, begged the teen.

Poseidon felt obliged to obey this sweet begging, lifting his hand to hit the left cheek as Triton now focused on the right cheek. They built a steady and hard rhythm, one coming down on the soft ass shortly after the other, turning Percy on like nothing before.

“So, how do you like it, father?”, asked Triton politely.

“I must say, I'm impressed. I wouldn't have figured him to be so submissive in bed.”

“Oh, you have seen nothing yet”, chuckled the merman amused.

“Say, how long are we going to do this? Not that I don't absolutely enjoy it, because I do. I really like this color. But his whimpers and moans and begging made me painfully hard and I would love to taste that tight hole of him now.”

“No fucking before he begs for it. You need to control yourself, always wait for his sweet begging. The longer you wait, the sweeter he begs. And if you wait long enough, he begs for _everything_.”

“Very well then”, nodded Poseidon, willing to wait for Percy to beg.

The teen though couldn't decide if he truly wanted to beg just yet, because getting spanked by both of them was such a harsh and painfully sweet experience, he would wish for it to go on for hours. On the other hand, however, he hadn't had a real cock up his ass for weeks now. He scarcely had time to visit the palace, camp had kept him busy.

“If I... If I beg you to fuck me now, would you pretty-please spank me again later on?”, asked the teen with pleading, puppy-eyes, biting his lips hard.

Triton took the boy's face in his hand, caressing his cheek with his thumb.

“You're so cute when you beg. And if you beg enough, we will certainly spank you again. I would love to spank you again once we're through with you.”

“Since my erection is very painful by now, I would prefer it for us to get to the fucking, too”, agreed the Sea Lord, resting his hand on top of the heated, dark red ass.

He stroke the tender, sensitive flesh some, making the boy squirm. Triton all the while circled the younger god and sat down in front of the pretty consort, his erect member pressing against the teen's rosy, plumb lips. As those were eagerly opened wide to embrace the cock, he pulled away again.

“If you want something, you have to beg for it”, reminded the merman his consort, teasingly pressing his dick against the boy's cheek.

Percy mewled, rubbing his face against the pulsing member. Gods, how much he wanted it. His father was massaging his wounded behind hard, causing pleasurable sparks of pain to jolt through his whole body.

“Please”, moaned the teen. “Please, daddy fuck me. Please, I want your cock deep within me, daddy, take me! And... And, please Triton, let me suck your wonderful cock while daddy fucks me hard, I want to pleasure the both of you at the same time, let me serve you, please. I want both of your cocks, now and forever! Please, daddy, take me, daddy!”

“Such a little slut”, laughed Poseidon pleased.

“Oh yes, I am”, whimpered Percy. “But I am your slut, daddy!”

“Daddy's little slut”, smirked Triton. “You're such a dirty, needy bitch.”

Poseidon positioned himself behind the boy, gripping the broad hips hard.

“I'm going to claim you now, my slutty son”, growled the Sea God possessively, slowly pushing into the tight heat.

“Yes, daddy, please”, moaned Percy hoarsely, throwing his head back as the thick meat entered him.

“Enough with the begging, get to the sucking now”, demanded Triton.

“Of course”, purred the teen with half-lid eyes, licking his lips hungrily. “I missed your cum so much, love. Your taste... Please, give it to me...”

The merman grabbed the boy's head, digging his fingers in the soft, black hair, pushing his consort's head down into his crotch. The lips were eagerly parted and embraced his member. Poseidon was by now seated completely inside his youngest son's ass.

“Gods, he's so tight”, groaned Poseidon, lost in bliss.

“I know”, grinned Triton lazily. “It's incredible that he wouldn't loosen up, even after Attina...”

Percy moaned around his cock, sending more pleasure through his husband. It was a complete new sensation for the teen to have one cock up his ass and the other down his throat. At the same time. One was hot enough for him, but both at the same time. This was heaven, or Elysium.

“Such a tight, hot ass”, moaned his father, pulling nearly completely out to thrust back in hard and forceful. “You were so lucky the last year!”

“You are going to enjoy him when he's pregnant”, smirked Triton. “And you, put your tongue to better use, little bitch.”

Percy made an agreeing sound in his throat, wrapping his tongue with practiced ease around the thickness that made his jaw hurt. The other cock was working his hole so hard that Percy was sure he wouldn't be sitting in the next few days.

“I don't believe you, Triton”, grunted Poseidon. “The way he had just begged... How can he possibly be even more horny than he is at the moment?”

“He loves falling asleep with my cock up his ass and he loves waking up by exactly that cock. Because his greedy hole craves for the attention”, moaned Triton. “Damn, you're such a good, little cocksucker!”

“He's also quite the good fuck”, added their father with a broad smile.

“Time for your daily serving of proteins, my dear”, moaned the merman and closed his eyes in bliss as he felt his orgasm approach.

Percy sucked even more eager at hearing that, until he finally had the salty, musky taste of his husband's cum on his tongue. The seed was shot down his throat and Percy tried to suck even the last drop out of the cock, enjoying the taste on his tongue while his father still fucked him hard. Triton pulled out of the boy's mouth, patting his head.

“You're such an obedient thing, my pet”, praised Triton. “Father, if you may assist me and lift him upright?”

Poseidon nodded, wrapping his arms around the half-blood's torso, pressing the warm body against his chest. Triton swam in front of them so Percy could cling to him for support as Poseidon rather gripped the broad hips so he could fuck him better. Triton's hands wandered around over his consort's upper body, massaging the boy's chest and nipples, which were extremely sensitive since the birth. Beneath his touch, the boy whimpered pleadingly.

“Do you want to come, too, my little slut?”, asked Triton curiously, circling the boy's nipples.

“Yes, please”, whined the teen, his fingers playing with his husband's hair.

“Tell me how much you want to come and maybe I will be generous enough to let you do so.”

There was something Poseidon had to grand his oldest son; he knew how to control his lover. Watching how cunningly the merman dominated the beautiful boy was fascinating.

“I need it so much”, moaned Percy. “I—I haven't been touching myself at all during my time at camp, just as you said and I've dreamed about it every night... Coming down to visit was so hard, because I had to leave again, I missed your touch so much, please let me cum, I'm so hard, both your cocks are so wonderful and I... I need to cum, please...”

“And how about our father?”, asked the merman curiously. “Do you want him to cum? Do you want our father to cum deep inside of you? Do you want our father to fill you and knock you up?”

His fingers teasingly skimmed over the aching hardness between them, making the teen squirm and moan and buckle his hips to get more of the touch. Poseidon tightened his grip in a bruising manner to keep the boy in place.

“Bad boy”, chided the older god. “You're not allowed to squirm. I want your ass exactly here.”

“I—I'm sorry, daddy”, whimpered the boy with a blush.

“Answer my question”, warned Triton, giving the teen's member a hard squeeze.

“Y—Yes, I want him to cum”, moaned Percy and turned some to lock eyes with his father. “I want you to come, deep inside of me, I want you to fill me, please give me your seed.”

“You want to carry your own sibling, then?”, chuckled Poseidon, increasing his thrusting.

“Yes, please, daddy, I want to be pregnant with your child, please fill me with your cum, daddy, please! A—And, please, Triton, let me cum, I need to cum so hard, please”, begged the teen.

“So needy”, groaned the merman, capturing his consort's lips in a fierce and heated kiss while gripping the cock hard, starting to jerk it.

Percy groaned and moaned into their kiss, clinging to his husband. The merman's movement became harsher to drive the teen nearly crazy. Triton leaned down some, licking his consort's ear-shell, his breath tickling the boy.

“You're allowed to come now, my pretty bitch.”

A loud moan escaped his lips as he came harder than ever before in his life. This day had proved to bring him the most unique pleasure he had ever felt.

“Oh gods, so good, oh gods!”, whimpered the former demi-god.

His orgasm caused his muscles to contract around the dick up his ass. Poseidon moaned hoarsely at the added friction, his rhythm becoming harder and more frantic, until he knew he would come.

“So incredibly tight, I'll fill you now, I'm going to cum and knock you up, Percy, you hear me?”, groaned the Sea God.

“Yes, I want it so much, please”, gasped Percy short of breath.

And then, finally, Poseidon came, too. Filling his half-blood son with his hot seed, drawing the most wondrous sound from the boy's lips. The hungry hole was milking even the last drop of cum from him, eagerly gulping it all up. The smallest of them was panting hard, fully enjoying the warmth filling his bowls.

“I... love you...”, whispered Percy barely audible. “Both of you...”

Triton grinned knowingly and kissed his consort tenderly. Their father on the other hand looked absolutely shocked. There was a line between sexual desire and love. Placing his lips on the boy's neck, he sucked and kissed and bit it before breathing against the teen's ear.

“I love you, too, Percy.”

“That's because he's irresistible”, smirked the merman. “Absolutely irresistible.”

“That is true”, agreed Poseidon, still nibbling the shoulder and neck. “And delicious.”

“Very delicious”, nodded Triton.

“Can we do that again?”, grinned Percy cheekily. “Starting with the spanking. Yes, please?”

“Not now”, chuckled Poseidon. “You know how much you drain a god? You're one little vixen, Percy. I need to regain first. Give a god some time to recover.”

“But I want more”, pouted the boy with big, pleading eyes.

“Well, father. How about you relax and recover some while I spank that needy ass some more?”, suggested Triton, grabbing Percy and pulling him over his lap.

The teen gave a surprised yelp at first before laying obediently down, grinning up at his father.

“Yes, daddy?”, asked the boy with a lovely smile.

“You are hard to deny, Percy”, murmured Poseidon and shook his head, getting comfortable.

“And you are as easy to manipulate as Triton”, giggled Percy with a wink.

“Little vixen knows exactly how he gets what he wants, doesn't he?”, asked Poseidon his other son with one raised eyebrow.

“What can I say?”, sighed Triton with a desperate shrug before placing the first blow on the already red and sore behind, drawing a delightful mew from the boy on his lap. “He knows my weakness. And now he knows yours, too. He has me wrapped around his finger.”

“I can get anything I want from you with my ass, can't I?” grinned Percy broadly. “You know, that's even double good for me, since I get both, what I want _and_ your attention to my ass.”

“Mean little thing”, grunted Poseidon. “Spank him a bit harder, please. He seriously needs a punishment for being such a cunning little bitch.”

“Aw, but you love me for it”, laughed the teen, before squirming because of an extremely hard blow from his husband.

“We sure do”, agreed both men at the same moment.

Triton and Poseidon locked eyes, exchanging a meaningful look. The father signaled his oldest son how grateful he was and the merman signaled the older god that it was alright. The teen in the middle however didn't notice a thing, he was way too lost in the pleasurable feeling of getting spanked by his brother and watched by their father.

“Such a dirty and needy slut you are, aren't you, my pet?”, laughed the merman, shaking his head in amusement at the wanton sounds from his consort.

“Very needy”, purred Percy with half-lid eyes. “And I enjoy it thoroughly when you dirty me...”

The two older gods smirked, knowing exactly that this night wouldn't end soon.


	8. IV. Interlude: Easy Seduction

IV. Interlude: Easy Seduction

 

Percy leaned back against the broad chest of his father, his arms wrapped tightly around his brother's neck as both of them were fucking him mercilessly. The older son of Poseidon increased his speed as he felt his orgasm approaching and bit down on the shoulder in front of him. The sandwiched boy moaned ecstatic as the teeth pierced his skin and the cum filled his bowels. Poseidon followed his heir and shot his load into their shared lover's tightness. Feeling both men ejaculating within him made Percy cum too, spraying his seed onto his round stomach. Poseidon collapsed completely breathless on the bed next to his son. Triton looked equally exhausted on the other side of the broadly grinning Percy. The teen turned over and stared at them.

“Again?”, asked the youngest of them and licked his lips eagerly.

“You can't possibly be so horny”, groaned Poseidon, too tired to even lift his head.

“I told you, father”, smirked Triton. “He's his horniest when he's pregnant.”

The two-tailed merman turned onto his side and rested one hand on top of the round midsection of his consort, drawing figures on it with the boy's cum. Poseidon turned to them and stared disbelieving at his younger son's already hardening member.

“But we... just doubled him, after I fucked him while he sucked you and after you fucked him while he sucked me and before that, we already had doubled him. And both of us had spanked him two times already...”, grunted the Sea God, panting hard. “And it's only just noon.”

“What?”, yelped Percy and bolted up.

“He said you're slowly draining his life-source out with your horniness”, supplied Triton.

“No”, blushed the teen and rolled his eyes at his husband. “I mean the time! Is it really noon?”

“It's eighteen past twelve. Why, love?”, asked their father confused.

“I'm supposed to meet Clarisse for our group-meeting!”, yelped the youth and disappeared.

“That much for the next round”, grunted Triton with a slight pout.

“I am grateful for a little break to take a breath”, muttered his father and closed his eyes.

“You need to work on your stamina, father”, commented the younger god with one raised eyebrow and a skeptical glare. “I thought the last five months would have been enough practice.”

“He's getting hornier with every week!”, exclaimed Poseidon irritated. “How am I supposed to keep up with that? Your mother and I haven't had any in decades! And Sally had been years ago now, too. I'm out of practice. And Percy is just way too eager.”

“Tell me about it”, smirked the merman pleased. “Perseus indeed is quite eager. Though I must confess that he hadn't been that horny during his first pregnancy.”

Poseidon yawned widely and stretched some. “But he's just so... irresistible...”

“I know”, chuckled Triton amused. “He just has to lay there with spread legs and he could demand practically everything from me, I would give it to him on a silver plate...”

“Me too”, agreed his father with one raised eyebrow. “That lad is way too manipulative...”

“You should probably take a nap, father. Before he returns. Because as soon as he will do so, he will do exactly that. Spreading his legs and demanding our attention...”

“You're probably right”, muttered the Sea God and yawned. “One thing before I doze off...”

“Yes, father?”, asked the two-tailed merman curiously.

“You should follow him to that meeting.”

“Why?”, grunted Triton irritated. “A meeting with six highly pregnant demi-gods, learning how to breath is the last place I wish to be. You do know how emotional and irrational they can be.”

“Exactly my point”, nodded Poseidon. “Percy will be very emotional and irrational and if you don't go and be at his side, he'll probably be moody. If you go though, he will be more than grateful.”

Triton nodded slowly, thinking about it. Then he smirked and disappeared, too.


	9. Fateful Twists and Twisted Fates

4\. Fateful Twists and Twisted Fates

 

“Oh gods, harder”, whined the sea-green eyed eternal teen and threw his head back.

“If we go harder on your hole, you won't be able to sit for weeks”, grunted Triton amused.

“Ah, but that's what he wants, the little slut he is”, smirked their father. “Isn't that right, Percy? You want to feel us within you for days to come.”

“Oh yes, please”, moaned the youngest god in their middle.

Percy writhed between them as both Poseidon and Triton thrust into him at the same time, over and over again, stretching his hole the way he enjoyed it most. Having both his lovers within him at the same time was what the Sea Prince truly loved.

“Harder, please, take me until I won't be able to walk for days”, mewled Percy, scratching his husband's back with his nails.

“Believe me, you won't walk for days, you needy slut”, whispered Triton, tightening his grip on the broad hips of his consort.

“Triton is right, my love”, grunted Poseidon and increased his pace, jerking his youngest son's cock while ramming his own dick as deep as possible into the tightness. “We'll give you what you need. My wanton little bitch.”

“Oh gods, yes”, mewed the eternal teen and came.

He knew his two lovers would always give him what he desired. Nearly the same moment he came, the two older gods followed him and shot their loads deep into his bowls. Percy was truly grateful to Apollo for the herbal mix the God of Health had given to the former demi-god, the same mix that the goddesses took to prevent pregnancies, because otherwise he would probably be pregnant all the time. He enjoyed their hot seed within him way too much to abstain from it. Panting heavily, he climbed down from the two slowly softening cocks within him.

“Fuck”, grunted the eternal teen. “You two are always amazing...”

“That's because you are amazing”, smirked Triton and leaned back, enjoying the view of his consort's backside with cum slowly oozing out of the hole.

The merman always enjoyed marking what was his and he loved the way his wife looked covered in cum. Their father next to him smirked satisfied and held his hand up. The two older gods high-fived in a completely childish way and beautiful sea-green eyes were rolled at them.

“You two are such overgrown children”, laughed Percy and hit both of them lightly.

Their still raised hands came down, each on one cheek of their younger lover. Poseidon smirked and sat up, leaning over to bite the round firmness of his youngest son hard. Percy moaned in surprise.

“Naughty, little vixen”, hummed Poseidon and shook his head.

“Yes, I am”, purred the Sea Prince with half-lid eyes. “You going to spank me for being naughty?”  
“Sadly enough, no”, sighed the Sea God and shook his head. “Zeus has some very urgent meeting convened, sadly enough I can't get away from this... Though I would enjoy a second round with my wanton vixen way more than listening to my brother's demands...”

“Oh, we may swap if you want”, snorted Triton and stood up, too. “I have to visit mother, because she throws one of her fits, or so grandmother said.”

“Please, spare us the details”, grunted Poseidon with a dark look at the name of his former wife.

“My poor babies”, grinned Percy and rolled onto his back. “You know what I'm going to do today?”

“Please spare us the details, too”, muttered Triton. “Because whatever it is, it is going to be way more satisfying than our day...”

“I will take a long, nice and hot shower, fingering my tight hole while the water drops down my body, twirling my nipples hard, shoving my fingers as deep into my needy hole as possible, until I'll come from the sheer pleasure brought to my prostate, calling both your names when I come”, purred the Sea Prince and licked his lips.

“You are such a mean, little thing!”, hissed the two-tailed merman with a pout. “You very well know we won't get a piece of your ass for the rest of the day and you do _that_!”

“What can I say?”, smirked his younger brother. “I'm always horny. And I think... once I'm finished with the shower, I will take one of the toys... maybe the pretty dark blue one... and fuck myself mercilessly with it...”

“He certainly deserves a hard spanking tonight for being such a tease”, grunted Triton and crossed his arms in front of his chest, glaring at his consort. “Slutty little wife I got there.”

“Aw, you know me so well, love”, grinned Percy cheekily and leaned up to kiss his husband. “Have fun and greet Amphitrite from me.”

“Yeah, right”, snorted the merman and rolled his eyes. “So she can start one of her endless rants about what a bad choice you were once again? No, thanks.”

Poseidon grunted in agreement and stole a kiss from his younger lover, clapping Triton's shoulder.

“Come on, we both should hurry”, muttered the Sea God.

“Behave, you naughty thing, you!”, warned Triton. “Or else we'll have to spank you!”

“You do know that this kind of threat won't have the wanted effect on him, right?”, chuckled his father amused and raised an eyebrow at him. “Threat him with no sex, that may work.”

“What?”, yelped Percy wide-eyed. “No!”

“You do know that neither me nor you could keep that threat up, right?”, grunted the two-tailed merman back. “He would just have to lay there with spread legs and both of us would yield.”

“I guess you're right with that”, laughed their father.

“Well”, purred the Sea Prince and wrapped one arm around each of his lovers. “That's because you two want the exact same as I do...”

“And that would be?”, asked Poseidon innocently, placing a chaste kiss on rosy lips.

“Your cocks, either up my ass or down my throat”, smirked Percy and pushed both of them off. “And now get going before I'm going to make you so late...”

“Behave, my dear”, warned Triton and waved.

“Be dirty, my dear”, smirked Poseidon with a wink.

The two older gods left their shared bedroom and Percy let himself fall backwards onto the broad bed, staring up at the ceiling, smiling stupidly. Ever since his first night with his father, they had moved. And now he and Triton were living in the gigantic master bedroom. Of course it had been re-designed, getting rid of every little trace of Amphitrite (including the bed, obviously). The rooms left and right were connected to the master bedroom through connecting doors. Back in the old days they had been the private chambers of Poseidon and Amphitrite respectively so they wouldn't have to spend so much time in close proximity. Those two rooms needed to be re-designed too. One for Attina, the other for Fabius. All in all, life was good. With that in mind, he got up and dressed in blue swimming-shorts to leave the palace. Some subordinates interrupted his way, asking mundane questions. He continued his way out of the palace and through the coral reef, keeping his eyes in the distance until he saw a well-known silhouette in the distance. Increasing his speed, he neared the three people, lifting his hand in a way of greeting.

“Brother!”, exclaimed the cyclops happily, a little mermaid in one hand and a little merboy in the other, whirling them around over his head.

The two young children were giggling happily, though freeing themselves from their uncle's grip to swim over to Percy once they saw him.

“Mommy!”, called both of them and reached out for him.

The Sea Prince smiled broadly and opened his arms wide for them. The little, blonde boy and the little girl with two black pigtails and with the brightest sea-green eyes crashed into him, hugging the Rain God tightly, giggling highly.

“Hello, Attina, Fabius, did you have fun with uncle Tyson?”, smiled Percy and ruffled their hair.

“Yes!”, grinned the girl broadly. “He taught us how to make swords, but he said we're not allowed to make them ourselves just yet because we're still too small!”

“But once we're older, we'll get them, right?”, asked Fabius and tilted his head.

“I need to keep them away from Ares”, sighed Percy and shook his head. “Once you're older, yes. But that is still some way to go, kids.”

“But I'm already three and a half years old!”, pouted his son and crossed his arms.

“That is still too young”, grunted the Rain God with a stern expression.

“That's right, Fabi, you're younger than I am and that means you will only get to fight after me!”, exclaimed Attina and showed her tongue.

“Don't be mean to your brother”, chided Percy and sighed, turning to Tyson. “It's such a hard age.”

“You keep saying that for over four years now”, grinned the cyclops and patted Attina's head.

The little mermaid giggled and looked up at her uncle. A small smile spread over Percy's lips.

“Thanks for getting them ready, Ty. I really couldn't find the time...”

“No problem, big brother!”, smiled the cyclops. “I like spending time with them! And they helped me getting ready, too!”

“That's right, you said you'll come with us?”

“Yes, I'll meet Ella and we'll go to the new Mexican restaurant”, nodded the taller son of Poseidon.

“That's nice”, smiled Percy softly. “How is Ella?”

He was happy for his younger brother and the harpy, the two were such a good match. And they had been a happy couple for nearly seven years now, after all.

“She said the fights had been hard”, muttered the cyclops with a dark look in his eyes.

“The fights had been hard”, sighed Percy and nodded.

The third great prophecy had come true over the last three years, the main reason why Percy hadn't wanted another child during that time, because he and his family had been very busy helping (he and Tyson more so than Triton and Poseidon). Now that the war against Chaos was over however, he wanted to give his children every opportunity to visit the mortal world. He had to keep them down in the safety of their palace, far away from the foes that would not hesitate to capture them and use them as bait. Though now that Jason and Nico had led the two camps victoriously into war, everything was safe again, he would leave his children with his parents for some time.

“I'm glad Ella is alright”, cooed the cyclops.

“I'm glad most of our friends are alright”, whispered the older son of Poseidon and shook his head, looking up at the general in determination. “And now come on, you don't want to keep Ella waiting, do you?”

“No!”, yelped Tyson and hurried closer.

Cradling both his children in his arms, he looked up at his younger brother. Tyson grabbed the suitcases standing on the coral next to them and swam up to his family. Closing his eyes in concentration, the god teleported them from the sea right into the front garden of the Blofis couple. The little children on Percy's arms closed their eyes tightly to change their form. As soon as their tails were replaced by legs, they jumped down from their mother's arms and ran up to the front door.

“Grandma! Grandpa!”, screamed the children at the top of their lunges.

The door was opened at the loud voices and a rather gray-haired Paul smiled down at them.

“Now who may you be?”, hummed the man with mock-confusion. “Do I know you?”

“Grandpa, stop joking!”, yelped Attina wide-eyed.

The teacher laughed softly and bend down to pick the girl up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and giggled gleefully, her brother on the other hand crawled between Paul's legs into the house. Percy shook his head at his children and walked up to his step-father.

“Hello, Paul”, smiled the half-blood.

“Percy, it's so nice seeing you again! You rarely came visiting in the past”, greeted Paul with worried eyes and hugged his step-son with one arm. “The war kept you busy, I assume.”

“Sadly enough, it did”, nodded the god and sneaked into the house.

“Hello, step-Paul!”, called the cyclops, lifting the man up and whirling him around.

“Tyson!”, gasped Paul wide-eyed. “It's good to see you too, my boy! Did you grow again?”

“Say, is mom at home?”, asked Percy from inside the house.

“She went shopping with Ella, because our dear had been so nervous about the date”, panted Paul once Tyson sat him down again. “But come on in. You know Sally, she would get furious if you'd just leave without seeing her.”

“I didn't plan on doing so”, hummed the former demi-god and grabbed the suitcases. “I'll just get changed and bring Attina's and Fabius' stuff upstairs. You... keep them busy.”

“Come on, you three, Sally backed cookies”, grinned Paul, knowing how to lure both his grandchildren and his not-son-yet-kind-of-step-son into the living room.

Percy hummed 'Part of your World' as he walked into the 'Little Mermaid'-themed bedroom. What once had been his room had become a beautiful nursery for Attina and Fabius, with coral reeves and fishes drawn on the wall, like a little piece of the ocean. He still had a stash of clothes in one of the closets and pulled them out to get dressed in something more fitting than swimming-shorts. He pulled the black jeans up over his swimming-shorts and grabbed the blue turtleneck shirt. The suitcases placed next to the bunk bed, he left again. His way lead him downstairs to the living room, where Paul, Tyson, Attina and Fabius were sitting together, crumbing with chocolate cookies and fiddling around with hot chocolate.

“You know you're going to have to clean that mess later on, right?”, chuckled Percy.

“That would be futile as long as your two whirlwinds are here”, grunted Paul.

“They do make worse a mess than I ever did, that's right”, sighed the Rain God exhausted.

“That's your sloppy upbringing”, chided a female voice from behind him.

“Mom!”, gasped Percy and whirled around.

He jumped her and hugged her close. He would never forget his humanity, not as long as he had his mother and Paul and his mortal friends. That's what he had promised himself, to keep true, to not turn into one of those gods that didn't care about a thing aside from their own satisfaction.

“Mommy, I missed you”, whispered the son of Poseidon.

“I missed you too, Percy”, smiled Sally, combing her fingers through his hair.

“Grandma! Grandma, can we make pancakes?!”, screamed Fabius and ran up to them. “Mommy said you would totally make pancakes with us!”

“Hello, Fabius”, chuckled the woman and ruffled his hair. “Of course. But now let me sit down, will you? I'm not the youngest anymore...”

“Course! Come with me, grandma!”, grinned Fabius and grabbed her hand, pulling her to the couch.

“Mommy said we'll spend a whole week with you! Can we spend two weeks?”, interrupted Attina.

“Two weeks?”, laughed Paul. “But you only just arrived. What? Don't you like the sea anymore?”

“I want to spend time in the park and all the awesome places we don't have beneath the sea! And I want to visit the modern museum, because auntie Annie had talked about that and all the awesome buildings she told me about!”, answered his granddaughter.

“I need to keep her away from Annabeth”, muttered Percy desperately.

“But then, when would you be able to spend some 'quality time' with your husband, if not for Paul and me, or Tyson, or Annabeth and camp?”, hummed Sally with a knowing smile.

“Mom!”, exclaimed her son and blushed brightly.

“Where's Ella?”, asked Tyson and tilted his head, ignoring his brother's flustered look.

“Oh my, she went and took Mrs. O'Leary for a walk once we were finally finished with shopping. She said she would meet you at the restaurant”, answered the mortal woman.

“Oh! Uh... I...”

“You can go, my boy”, smiled Sally. “We'll put some pancakes aside for you and Ella.”

The cyclops nodded hastily and stormed out of the house, causing Paul, Sally and Percy to laugh amused at his hurry. The Sea Prince took one of the cookies and took a bite.

“I would say 'Young love is so cute', but they're together for seven years now...”

“Well, if I recall correctly, you and Triton are quite good at being all lovey-dovey, too”, commented his step-father with a wink.

“That's right!”, nodded Attina and showed her tongue with a disgusted expression on her face, as if she had to eat peas. “Mommy and daddy always kiss and stuff! That's so, so, so gross!”

“I sincerely hope you will find kissing 'and stuff' gross for at least another fifty years...”

“You mean fifteen?”, asked Paul and raised one eyebrow.

“No, I do mean fifty”, disagreed Percy. “With them being immortal, I hope they'll wait as long as possible with such things...”

“I will never-ever-ever kiss a boy, that's yucky!”, shuddered the girl.

“Atti is right!”, agreed Fabius. “And if anything, I will marry mommy when I'm all grown up, because no one is as pretty as my mommy!”

Percy chuckled lightly and rolled his eyes. “Didn't you two want pancakes? Hush, into the kitchen!”

The siblings cheered and ran out of the living room, closely followed by their grandmother.

“Say”, coughed Paul a bit awkwardly. “Should we be worried about Fabius?”

“Naw, that's just stupid childish talking”, dismissed Percy with a small smile. “Come on, we should probably help them. If anything so your house won't burn down.”

“Yes, that would indeed be good”, grunted the teacher and stood slowly.

The two followed into the kitchen, where Sally was already placing pants on the stove, the children rummaging through the fridge, putting eggs and butter and milk onto the table.

“They really enjoy being with you”, whispered Percy as he came up next to his mother.

“I suppose so”, hummed the mortal woman with a small smile.

“And I can understand them”, continued her son. “You were the best mom any child – especially a half-blood – could ask for.”

“Don't get all mushy now, Percy”, chided Sally, her eyes shimmering with tears.

“But it's true”, insisted the Rain God. “I don't know if I ever said it, but... Thanks. Thank you, mom, for never giving me up even though I got thrown from one school after the other, even though I made you so many problems...” He sniffled slightly and blinked some tears away. “I never really realized how hard this job is until Attina and Fabius, but... Damn, taking care of Fabius and Attina is sometimes even harder than I remember fighting Kronos and Gaia to be...”

“Ah, so that's where you're coming from”, chuckled his mother.

“I love them so much, but they sometimes drive me crazy”, laughed Percy softly. “And I have dad and Triton and Ty and you guys all helping me... It amazes me that you managed to do this all on your own.”

“And I did a pretty good job, if I may say so myself”, smiled Sally. “You became a beautiful, young man with high morals and a heart full of love and concern for those close to you.”

“Do you... think I can do even half as good a job as you did...?”, whispered the son of Poseidon nervously and bit his lips, throwing an uncertain glance at his children.

Fabius and Attina were playing with flour, giggling while Paul tried to get it away from them.

“The way I see it”, interrupted Sally his musings. “You are already doing a wonderful job. They are healthy and they are happy. They're good children. And if you ever have doubts, I'll be glad to aid you my help, you hear me?”

“Thanks, mom”, grinned Percy and leaned up to kiss her cheek.

“So, are you going to tell me where that notion is coming from? I mean, you never questioned your motherly qualities before, aside from during your first pregnancy that is. So, what's up?”

“Nothing really... It's just...”, the Sea Prince paused for a second. “We've waited for three years now because of the war and everything that had been going on and now that the war is over... I felt that I may have... neglected them... I mean, I helped so much during the war... Am I still a good parent?”

“Maybe your problem is that you want to be there for everyone. For your father, your husband, your brother, your children, your friends and me and Paul. But... Even now as a god, you can't be there for everyone all the time. But you still manage to do the right things. You helped your friends and you raised you children well and I think your husband is quite happy with you, too”, chuckled Sally.

“I... guess you're right”, nodded Percy and bit his lips. “Thanks, mom.”

“No need to thank me. I'm your mother, I will always be there for you and help you”, whispered the mortal woman and bumped shoulders with her son.

“I know”, grinned the son of Poseidon and leaned his head against her shoulder.

“Grandma, grandma, Atti got egg in my hair!”, screamed Fabius with a pout.

“You're such a squealer, Fabi!”, gasped Attina and stuck his tongue out at her brother.

“Hush now, children! If you play with all the ingredients we won't have enough to make pancakes anymore! Now, please, into the bowl, not into your hair!”, chided Sally with a smile.

“Yes, grandma!”, chimed both children at the same time.

“They are horrible”, chuckled Percy and shook his head. “You should hear our cook, he even started locking the kitchen door so they won't destroy his realm...”

“I think that's normal at their age”, noted Sally. “You were the same way.”

“Great”, groaned the eternal teen and rolled his eyes. “Anything else I used to do what my children are going to put me through later on, too?”

“You brought every hurt animal you found with you. The last, as you may recall, were a gigantic hell-hound and a harpy”, chuckled the mortal woman.

“Oh gods... Please, please, please, if my children bring whales or sharks with them I'll jump down the next cliff”, muttered Percy and ruffled his hair.

“Stop your yammering, you could wash the dishes so we have some clean plates later”, suggested his mother. “Just wait and see what the next days and years are going to bring.”

“Yes, ma'am”, saluted the eternal teen with a cheeky grin and went over to the kitchen sink.

Turning the faucet, he waited for the steaming hot water to gather around the dirty dishes. Steam rose from the sink and the setting sun send it's rays through it. A little rainbow showed itself and Percy jumped in complete surprise at the face between the various colors.

“Dear Zeus, you nearly gave me a heart-attack, di Angelo”, scolded Percy and gripped his chest.

“Uncle Nico?”, piped Fabius and jumped up next to his mother.

The green-eyed god rolled his eyes and grabbed his boy under his arm-pits to lift him onto the countertop so the curious child could see the son of Hades through the Iris Message.

“Uncle Nico!”, grinned Fabius delighted and waved. “We're at grandma's and grandpa's and we're making pancakes! Do you want to shadow-travel to us and join us?”

“No, Fabs”, slurred the Ghost Prince and shook his head. “I wanna talk to yer ma...”

“Are you alright, uncle Nico?”, asked the child concerned.

Green eyes were narrowed at the son of Hades in a calculating gaze, before Percy put his son back down, pushing him behind over to Attina.

“Go and annoy your sister, Fabi. I have to talk to your uncle Nico”, ordered the Sea Prince sternly and stared the Italian down. “What's wrong with you, di Angelo?”

Fabius turned to his sister and went back to helping reluctantly. Percy leaned in some more to take a closer look at the by now twenty-years old.

“She's away...”, muttered the son of Hades lowly.

“Who's away? What's wrong? Are you... drunk...?”, whispered Percy confused.

“Annie broke up with me!”, sobbed the Ghost Prince.

Gulping in shakiness, the Rain God nodded slowly. Never before had he seen the son of Hades crying. And neither had he ever seen him drunk. He turned half-way, looking at his parents and children still playing with the flour, Sally trying to control them.

“Where are you Nico? I'll be there in a second.”

“Camp”, was the slurred answer.

Percy nodded and stepped back from the sink, turning to his mother with worried eyes.

“Percy dear, is something wrong?”, asked Sally and tilted her head at him.

“Annabeth broke up with Nico... I wanted to stay with you guys today, but...”

“Don't worry”, smiled his mother understandingly. “Go and take care of your friend. The poor lad, he's certainly devastated...”

“Thanks, mom”, nodded Percy and hugged her briefly. “I'll come over again, promise.”

“I hope you'll come back. Because Paul and I are too old to raise two children”, chuckled Sally.

The eternal teen leaned down to lock eyes with his son and then with his daughter.

“You two are going to behave your best, you hear me? Don't drive grandma and grandpa crazy while I'm gone. Uncle Tyson will come back later tonight and check on you. And daddy and I will IM you before bedtime too, okay?”

“Yes, mommy”, agreed both children obediently and leaned up.

Each of the children placed a kiss on one of their mother's cheeks. Percy grinned broadly and ruffled their hair, kissing the top of their heads before standing again. He hugged his step-father and teleported himself to camp. Even though he had insisted on traveling the 'human way' at first, he soon changed his mind as the children started to walk, because teleporting sure was faster to collect the two mischievous rascals.

“Percy Jackson, I feel as if I haven't seen you in ages.”

“Hey there, War Princess”, grinned Percy and turned around.

The bulky teenage girl had grown into a rather pretty young woman over the years. Her long, brunette hair was braided and swinging behind her in the soft breeze, a broad smile on her lips.

“Come here, seaweed brain!”, ordered the girl and opened her arms invitingly.

“Had it really been that long?”, muttered the son of Poseidon as he hugged her close.

“Since the Battle of Baltimore two months ago... You've been busy in Miami and I was stationed in Los Angeles with Reyna”, answered the brunette with a hind of sadness. “I miss Reyna...”

“I... know... I do, too”, whispered Percy and averted his eyes. “But she had died a hero's death.”

“Yeah, she... fought hard, really hard...”, murmured the Sea Prince and closed his eyes tightly.

“Anyway”, coughed the daughter of Ares and brought some distance between them. “What are you doing here? Did you come to rejoice with us?”

“No, I'm... I'm here because of Nico”, replied the former demi-god.

“Oh... Not the happiest reason, then”, grunted Clarisse with a short nod. “He hasn't left his cabin since this morning. Since Annabeth left camp.”

“Since our Ghost Prince is completely wasted... Give me the sober version of what had happened, please”, asked Percy and started toward cabin thirteen.

“You know, the same old. The war is over the the gods think they should reward a few of us”, snorted the brunette with a dark look in her eyes. “They offered him immortality. He said yes. She broke up with him and ran off with the hunters of Artemis.”

“Wait what?”, gasped the Sea Prince with wide eyes. “Immortality? The hunters?”  
“Hades had always trained Nico to become his heir one day”, shrugged Clarisse. “Wasn't that obvious by the way Nico had always trained down in the underworld? And with Nico and Jason being the 'main acts' in this show, Lord Hades used it as an opportunity to grant his son godhood.”

“Oh, that explains why daddy had to leave for Olympus today”, hummed Percy understandingly.

“Hearing that Nico agreed, Annabeth threw a fit”, continued the daughter of Ares and ignored her friend. “Thals came with the hunters so she could comfort Annie. And Artemis repeated the offer she had made years ago... Though this time, Annabeth agreed.”

“Okay, good, so those are the basics”, nodded Percy seriously. “Well, I'll talk with Nico...”

“Please do that”, sighed Clarisse with a worried expression. “Good luck. And... Come over from time to time, not only when we're fighting a war!”

“Will do, War Princess”, smiled the son of Poseidon and knocked at the door.

“Go away!”, growled a voice from within the cabin.

The daughter of Ares mouthed 'Good luck, you'll need it' and ran off to the dining hall.

“No can do, di Angelo”, called Percy back. “Open that damn door, or I'll just teleport inside!”

The lock clicked and a grumpy and drunk looking Nico held a bottle into his face. Rolling his sea-green eyes he took it and drank some of the wine before closing the door behind them. The two boys headed over to one of the bunks and sat down in front of it. The son of Hades took another bottle for himself and drank from it.

“So... You'll become a god too now, huh? Copy-cat”, started Percy lowly.

“God of Wandering Ghosts”, nodded Nico with a dark expression. “She broke up.”

“Well... You chose immortality without even considering her”, shrugged the son of Poseidon. “Even I declined immortality at least once because of her. I guess that made her question your love.”

“I love her more than anything!”, growled the Ghost Prince furiously.

“But not more than your father”, corrected Percy. “You want to make him proud, to do the right thing. To be the man he wants you to be. And I can understand that. Aside from Hazel, he's your only family. And you like the underworld. I understand why you agreed. But she...”

“She became a fucking huntress!”, sobbed the son of Hades, leaning against his friend.

“How... is that even possible?”, asked the Rain God reluctantly. “I mean... eight years...?”

“I'm from the thirties, I'm old-fashioned. I wanted to wait until we're married... And now we'll never get married because she gave that fucking oath. The same fucking oath that stole my sister!”  
He was crying into Percy's shoulder and the Sea Prince wrapped his arms around his friend, trying to comfort him. The drunken teen sobbed and slurred sometimes something incoherent.

“And when she smiled, she lid the whole room up”, muttered Nico between tears.

Those and similar phrases left the Italian's lips between sobs and drinking. The son of Poseidon stayed with the soon-to-be-god for hours, until the completely wasted Ghost Prince was deep asleep. The Sea Prince stayed some longer, making sure Nico truly was asleep. He then heaved the half-blood into the bunk bed before sneaking out of the cabin and over to the bonfire, where he found Clarisse and Chris holding hands and burning marshmallows.

“War Princess?”, called the son of Poseidon and waved her over.

The brunette stood and walked up to him, throwing a questioning look at him as he hugged her.

“Keep a close eye on him. We talked, but... he'll be down for some time. Call me if he gets worse. I'll drop by as soon as possible, but Triton and I have an urgent meeting with the merfolk kindergarten in Atlantis tomorrow... I can't skip that, it's important...”, muttered Percy.

“Of course. Hey, you're a housewife and mother now, you can't throw everything away whenever something comes up”, grunted the brunette with a head-shake. “I'll whack his head tomorrow morning and torture him a bit with training... Say, six o'clock? Yeah.”

“You're a good friend, Clarisse”, smiled Percy and turned around to leave before any other camper may recognize him and involve him in some kind of conversation.

He really wanted to go home now, after all. Because he was totally drunk himself at the moment and dead tired. Closing his eyes, he teleported himself back to the palace, falling right down onto the big bed spread-eagle, his eyes still closed.

“Where have you been?!”, barked his husband somewhere to his left.

“Brought the children to my parents”, slurred the Sea Prince.

“Are you... drunk, Percy?”, asked his father, sounding slightly concerned.

“Just the tiniest bit”, giggled Percy, though turning serious again right away. “Been with Nico. Annabeth broke up with him. So we had to get drunk.”

The mattress sank both on his left and on his right and he soon felt the body heat of his lovers close.

“You got drunk and left us to wonder where you are because his girlfriend broke up with him?”, grunted Triton, obviously annoyed.

“His girlfriend!”, started the Sea Prince, bolting up and pointing an accusing finger against his husband's chest. “His girlfriend was my first girlfriend and is my best friend and he is one of my best friends, too! And I'll be damned if I'd ever stop taking time to take care of my friends!”

“Calm down, love”, soothed Poseidon and wrapped his arms around his son's waist. “You always get angry when you're drunk. That's right before your cuddle-phase.”

“I don't get cuddly!”, pouted Percy and snuggled closer to his father.

“Right”, grunted the Sea God with a half-grin.

“Is your friend alright?”, sighed the merman reluctantly. “Are you alright?”

“I'm very pretty much alright, just worried from him”, nodded Percy. “Though he's a bit not so alright. Clarisse will take care of him for now. I'll visit them again tomorrow when we come back from the kindergarten, okay?”

“Of course, love”, agreed Triton and started to remove his consort's clothes.

“I don't feel like sex now”, mewed his younger brother.

“I'm only undressing you because you can't sleep with jeans”, sighed the merman with an eye-roll.

“So you don't want me any longer?!”, whined the son of Poseidon with teary eyes. “Am I not attractive anymore? After two children?!”

“Oh for the love of Olympus”, groaned Triton irritated. “I hate when you get drunk.”

“That's the reason we always lock the alcohol away from him”, chuckled Poseidon and helped his older son undressing their lover.

Percy laid boneless between them and murmured nonsense. Since he was anything but cooperative, the two older gods had quite a hard time peeling the tight jeans off his long legs.

“Next time one of your friends decides to go single again, please go with ice cream and chocolate instead of alcohol, will you?”, growled Triton darkly and pulled his finally naked consort down onto the soft mattress.

“Mh... ice cream...”, purred the Sea Prince with a stupid grin. “Do we have ice cream? I would love some ice cream now! And I would love to lick it off your naval...”

“Oh no, not again!”, chided Poseidon, pulling the boy closer to himself too. “You always do that when you're drunk. Making us horny and falling asleep on us then.”

“That's not...”, he interrupted himself to yawn widely. “...True...”

“He's the worst drunk I know”, muttered the Sea God and rolled his eyes.

The eternal teen yawned again and closed his eyes, snuggling closer into the embrace from his two lovers. Poseidon was drawing signs onto his half-blood son's stomach, while Triton had his arms around the boy's waist in the other direction and was caressing the round ass.

“And I thought my day was rough”, whispered Poseidon and shook his head. “You should have heard Zeus and Hades. They were so at it again, screaming half of Olympus together...”

“Oh please. I spend the day with your ex-wife. I think that beats nearly everything”, growled the merman annoyed. “Mother is so nagging since your divorce.”

“Really now? What do you think I had to listen to from Hera? My wonderful older sister, the goddess of marriage if I may remind you?”, grunted the older god provokingly.

“I brought your very ADHD children over to the mortal world and had to spend the rest of the day with a heart-broken child of Hades... I win this competition”, muttered the half-asleep Sea Prince.


	10. V. Interlude: Hard Decision

V. Interlude: Hard Decision

 

Two boys, one with black hair and one with blonde hair, were chasing two girls. One of the girls had her black hair put up into two pig-tails, the other had wild, untamed, brunette hair. All four of them were wearing orange shirts, running towards the camp lake. They were observed by a young, brunette woman and a youthful looking god. She threw a worried glance at her company.

“Why are you looking so gloomy? You know, the war had been over for half a year now...”

“The kids, Clarisse”, muttered Percy and shook his head. “I mean, Attina and Fabius love being at camp. They love playing with Calandra and Chrysander, but down under the sea, they practically only have each other. It makes me kind of sad to watch them playing with your kids, because I know how bored they will be under the sea again...”

Clarisse next to him raised an eyebrow at him skeptically. “They don't look like they'll ever get bored. More like they'll find some mischief to do wherever they go. Are you sure, their father is not Hermes?” She smirked at him, before turning back to the kids. “Cally, Chrys, watch it!”

“Yes, mom!”, called the black-haired boy and the brunette girl back, both stopping at the rocks.

Percy's children too stopped instead of just jumping into the water, remembering that their auntie Clarisse didn't like it very much when they took Cally and Chrys with them.

“No, I mean... I don't know what I mean”, sighed the son of Poseidon confused.

“You mean that you want more children”, supplied the brunette woman with a smirk.

“What?”, yelped the Sea Prince and blushed hard. “I never said that!”

“It's not that hard to read between the lines”, shrugged the daughter of Ares. “You love your kids and you want another, but with the whole war going on you had delayed it. Now that it's over, now that it had been dealt with the aftermath of the war, you think about having another.”

Sea-green eyes stared down at Fabius and Attina, who were busy building a sand-castle with Clarisse's children. A soft smile spread over his lips as he nodded.

“Yeah. I guess I want another one. I mean... Another one close at age. Being four years apart... it's not that much, is it?”, whispered the son of Poseidon with a thoughtful look.

“Frank is four years younger than I am and we do get along quite well”, shrugged Clarisse. “And you would have the kids to watch the baby, too. I think they're in the age where you find little siblings interesting and stuff. What about Triton and Poseidon? Do they want another, though?”

“Triton wants many kids”, snorted Percy and shook his head. “That wouldn't be a problem.”

“Well then...”, drawled the daughter of Ares with a cheeky grin. “How about you go and leave for the palace to make another kid while I'll keep watch over the two you already have?”

“You mean like... right now?”, asked the Sea Prince with a blush. “But I...”

“You're been thinking about it for at least half a year now. Just... go and get your lover boys and make another one of those crying, babbling things”, urged the brunette with an eye-roll.

“But I can't just leave Fabi and Atti here...”, argued Percy reluctantly.

“Please”, snorted Clarisse. “They're so busy down there, they wouldn't even notice that you're gone. Besides, they'll enjoy their time at camp even without you. Something like that is so much more fun without your parents looming over you all the time. They'll be fine at the Poseidon cabin... Even though only Fabius is a child of Poseidon, eh?”

“Thanks, Clarisse, you're awesome”, grinned the son of Poseidon and hugged her.

“Don't get mushy”, muttered the brunette with a half-grin. “Get your men.”

Sea-green eyes lingered for a moment on the beach, staring at the four children. Attina was braiding Cally's brown hair, even though the daughter of Clarisse didn't look very happy about it. The two boys were whispering, most likely planning mischief since Chrys inherited the genes of his grandfather Hermes. With that picture in mind, Percy teleported himself away from camp.


	11. A Troubled Family and Familiar Trouble

5\. A Troubled Family and Familiar Trouble

 

Chiron wrinkled his eyebrows worried.

Whenever a god decided to visit camp, something bad was bound to happen. And when even two gods decide to come at the same time, something really bad must be up.

“Lord Poseidon, Lord Triton”, started the centaur. “What can I do for you?”

The fact that the two came without Percy was even more unsettling. If anything, they came with the former hero, most of the times to see him off before he started his summer job. But the former demi-god was no where in sight.

“We need to talk to our children”, muttered the Sea God darkly.

He looked everywhere but at his son, the tension between them was nearly visible. The centaur lifted one eyebrow. Normally Poseidon referred to both his granddaughter and his son as Triton's since it was a secret only shared between the gods (and of course him).

“If I may ask what about? Because Attina and Fabius are currently busy with a game of Capture the Flag. You know how much they enjoy that”, chuckled the trainer lightly.

“It is urgent”, growled Triton and glared at him. “Get them immediately.”

The centaur nodded slowly and galloped off to the fields. He soon spotted Clarisse, who was watching over the game. A proud smile spread over Chiron's lips. His young student had become a powerful woman and a good trainer. She has moved into the Big House with her husband Chris Rodriguez once the couple had started working as trainers at camp. Ever since the Titan War, the camp had started to get a bit crowded and now that there was peace, the gods claimed even more of their children. Chiron was grateful for the additional help.

“Clarisse, child”, smiled the centaur and nodded at her in ways of greeting.

“Hello, Chiron”, grinned the daughter of Ares. “Don't worry, everything is fine. The Hermes-brats are causing a bit of a ruckus, but nothing too bad. The usual Capture the Flag chaos.”

“I'm afraid we have to interrupt the game though”, sighed the older trainer.

“Why?”, asked Clarisse concerned. “Did something happen?”

“Lord Poseidon and Lord Triton are currently at the Big House and they demand so see Fabius and Attina as soon as possible, meaning now”, explained Chiron.

“Only them? Without Perce?”, wanted the brunette to know.

“I've not dare to ask, because... I fear worst, but yes”, muttered the centaur. “I fear something had happened to Percy. I've not seen them so upset in many, many years.”

She sighed sadly and whistled loudly. It didn't take her children ten seconds to appear in front of them. They heard their mother everywhere. Cally and Chrys tilted their heads at her.

“Yeah, mom? What is it?”, asked the five-years-old boy curiously.

“Kids, you need to go and find me Atti and Fabi. _Now_.”

They nodded eagerly and ran off into different directions. Chiron frowned a bit.

“How come your children never play in the same team?”

“Because their best friends never play in the same team”, shrugged the daughter of Ares. “And Chrys always needs to play in the same team as Fabius, just as much as Cally sides with Attina. And since Percy's brats always need to compete with each other, they never stay in the same team.”

“They do share quite the rivalry”, nodded Chiron a bit concerned.

“No need to worry, it seems to me like a healthy sibling rivalry. Each is always set on making their own father proud. Kind of funny considering that Fabi doesn't know his grandfather is his father. The only thing they fight about is their mother's attention. And since Percy is pretty damn good at loving both his children equally, there is no need to worry.”

The two warrior-tricksters returned, each with one child of the sea on their hands.

“Auntie Clarisse! We were about to win!”, complained Attina with a pout.

The brunette woman smiled and got onto her knees to look at them. “But there are visitors who want to see you. And you don't want to keep your dad and grandpa waiting, do you?”

“Dad and grandpa are here?”, asked Fabius with wide eyes. “Where? And is mommy here too?”

The daughter of Ares stood up again and took their hands, looking down at her own kids.

“You two go back and keep playing. Tell your teams that both are down one child of Perseus so it's even again and they don't need to pause the game. I'll bring them to the Big House.”

Cally and Chrys nodded before running off again, too eager to play. The two whirlwinds at her hands tugged eagerly too, trying to get to the house faster. Chiron stayed to further observe the game for her. Clarisse's thoughts were with Percy however. Fear knotted her stomach. She still vividly recalled the conversation she's had with him nine months ago and the bright and happy grin on his face when he told her that he was pregnant. But this pregnancy had proved to be a quest of it's own for the Sea Prince. Twins. And it was quite the hard fight to get through the first critical third of the pregnancy, he had nearly lost the kids. Since then he had been put to strict bed-rest by Apollo, who became his personal stalker from then on. Ever since those news had reached camp in the form of a very worried looking Fire God and an equally concerned Ghost God, Clarisse had feared the worst every single day. They came nearer to the Big House and she could hear the screaming voices of the two lovers of her friend.

“It is your fault!”, could Poseidon be heard.

“Oh, so now it is my fault! You were the one who insisted on the sex early in the pregnancy, even though Apollo had warned us about taking it easy!”

“Oh no, you don't put all the blame on me now, son! If Percy dies now, it is your fault, because you are the one insisting on knocking him up over and over again!”

A cold sea-breeze tugged on Clarisse' clothes and hair and she froze. Not only because of the words she heard, but more so because she felled Attina pulling away from her. She blinked a few times and stared after the girl, but then Fabius broke free too.

“Wait a second! Where do you think you're going?!”, scolded the trainer and ran after them.

But then she heard Attina whistling and knew it was too late. Mrs. O'Leary appeared out of nowhere and the girl climbed her back, tears streaming down her face as the mighty dog disappeared in the shadows with the child. Clarisse growled lowly at that, turning around to see where Fabius had ran off to. The stables. Of course. She sprinted there, but once she reached them, it was already too late because the black pegasus was already rising into the air.

“Get your horse-ass back down here, Blackjack, or I'll personally grill you!”

But the be-winged horse was already out of reach. She cursed on ancient Greek and Latin (her half-brother Frank had taught her that) as she turned to get to the Big House on her own. Once there she burst into the room and gave the two still fighting gods her best death glare.

“You complete morons!”, growled the demi-god.

“How dare you talk to us like that!”, exclaimed Triton irritated. “I am having a bad day and blasting you to ashes would probably make it better. So watch your tongue, woman.”

“No”, grunted the daughter of Ares and crossed her arms over her chest. “You should watch your tongue. Whatever it is that's wrong with Percy, you two have a commitment to your children. And if you send someone to fetch them, you may consider that someone returns with them. So tune your accusations down the next time!”

“What do you mean, Clarisse?”, asked Poseidon worried.

“They ran off! When they heard you talking about Percy dying, they ran away! I had no chance to fetch them, you know they're faster than the flow itself if they want to. And Attina disappeared with Mrs. O'Leary to who-knows where. Fabius took Blackjack and flew off.”

“You mean they have just left?! That is the least I need now!”, growled Triton and hit the desk in front of him with his fist angrily. “This is your fault for screaming, father!”

“Oh no, you don't get started again!”, warned Clarisse sternly. “You're going to explain to me now – in a calm and normal voice – what's wrong with my best friend.”

Poseidon rubbed his face and nodded slowly. “He went into labor, but... Apollo says it doesn't look very good... He can't say if Percy may make it. The fact that he's a boy makes everything just the slightest bit more complicated. He said... we should collect the children... so they can see Percy, just in case...”

“In case he doesn't make it”, pressed Triton out between gritted teeth.

“But he's a god”, whispered Clarisse and blinked surprised. “He can't die.”

“He's not a born god. He is way more fragile than us”, whispered Percy's husband.

“We actually have no idea what may happen”, muttered Poseidon. “This is the first time something like this happened. A half-blood turned god having a complicated labor, especially since he's male. Apollo is at his end, no one knows how this will turn out... Anything could happen...”

The young woman nodded slowly and stared out of the window. “You two should get to him.”

“But Attina and Fabius--”, started the otherwise merman.

“You two are in no condition to deal with two emotional kids terrified to loose their mother. You'll only make it worse. And... if those are really going to be Percy's last hours, you two should not waste them on a goosechase. I'll send the best trackers of camp on a quest for them and look myself, but you two will return to Percy's side. He needs you now. If I know something, then it's that he's most likely terrified himself. And that won't help the situation. You need to sooth him, to guide him through this. So all three of them will get out of this alive.”

Triton nodded and stood, reaching for her hand to shake it. “Thank you. And... I am sorry for threatening to blast you. You know I wouldn't do that.”

“Yes, I know”, chuckled the daughter of Ares. “Percy would have your ass for that.”

Poseidon tilted his head as a sign of his own gratitude before the two gods left.

“Well, gotta put a quest together”, muttered Clarisse once she was alone. “This is horrible.”

 

/break\

 

This was horrible. Attina hiccuped as they came through the shadows. She tried to blink her tears away, but they wouldn't stop. Of course there was something wrong with her mom. Uncle Apollo wouldn't have kept such a close watch on him otherwise. But her mom wasn't allowed to die.

Mrs. O'Leary whined as she tapped closer to the tents set up between the snowy pine-trees. Once she reached the fire in the middle of the little camp, she collapsed and yawned widely.

“Mrs. O'Leary?”, asked a surprised female voice.

Attina looked up, her eyes red-rimmed, her face smeared with tears, her lower lip quivering. And then she threw herself at the girl in front of her, wrapping her arms around the neck of the taller one.

“Hey, Atti”, whispered the other soothingly. “What's wrong, girl?”

“What was that crashing sound? Is everything alright, Annabeth?”, came another alarmed voice.

The blonde turned some, tightening her grip on the young child in her arms, throwing a concerned look at the other two huntresses who emerged the tent.

“Attina?”, asked Piper surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“Daddy and grandpa were fighting”, sobbed the girl, clawing her fingers into blonde hair.

“What were they fighting about?”, whispered Thalia.

Annabeth sat down in front of the cracking fire, her two friends taking the places left and right of her. The huntresses exchanged a few worried looks.

“Grandpa said mommy will die and that it will be dad's fault”, cried the daughter of Perseus.

The head huntress gulped concerned and ran her fingers through the black hair.

“I'm sure you didn't catch that right, girl”, whispered the daughter of Zeus.

“Yeah”, nodded Piper, taking her coat off to wrap it around the shivering girl. “Your mom is a fighter. Whatever it is, he'll get through it.”

“But... But... But what if not...?”, asked Attina, afraid of the answer, and looked up at her favorite aunt questioningly.

Annabeth bit her lips at that and pressed the child closer to her heart. “Percy's strong.”

 

/break\

 

“Percy is weak”, sighed the Sun God and shook his head. “I'm sorry to tell you, but he is barely conscious. In this state, we will never get through with the labor.”

Poseidon nodded slowly, if only to show that he was still responsive. His thoughts were a chaotic whirl, panic spreading through his whole being. He had lost many children over the years. Strong heroes like Percy. But never like this. And never had they been so important to him. He couldn't loose his beautiful prince. Another thought crossed his mind. What was he supposed to tell Sally? And the children? No. Percy couldn't die. There were too many people who needed him.

“Can we... Can we see him?”, asked Triton in an uncharacteristically small and fearful voice.

The healer of the gods nodded shortly and led them into the room.

“What... are we going to do now?”, whispered Poseidon with a crestfallen look on his face as he was the pale and sweat-covered body of his unconscious lover.

 

/break\

 

“What are we going to do now?”, asked the black pegasus curiously. “Where do you want to go, little boss? And where's the little miss boss?”

“We're searching for her, Blacky”, murmured the boy into the horse's ear.

“What do you mean?”, wanted Blackjack to know. “Isn't she with the boss?”

Fabius frowned and shook his head, clinging to the broad neck of the horse. He knew his mom was going to be fine. His mom was always fine. He had lead half-bloods into two wars and aided help in the third, he could beat anyone. His mom was the strongest being on this planet. There was no way anything could happen to him. So Fabi needed to concentrate on finding his sister now. Because once their mom would be better again, he would be furious if Atti was gone. She was older, but he was a hero. So he needed to take care of her, of course. Because she was a thinker and not a fighter. So it was his duty to protect her. His frown deepened as he felt the pegasus shift.

“Where are you flying to, Blacky?”, asked the blonde boy confused.

He pushed a blue streak out of his face. Something he had just recently gotten. Blue streaks in his blonde hair. The Aphrodite cabin had made them for him, said they would highlight his beautiful blue eyes, which he had inherited from his grandmother Sally. His mom hadn't even seen them yet, because he had gotten them at camp and his mom was currently on mount Olympus. His mom couldn't die. He had to see how awesome Fabius looked with the streaks. And he needed to show his mom how his fighting skills had improved thanks to aunt Clarisse.

“The boss had given me clear instructions if you of the little miss boss come to me without each other and, more important, without either the boss, the big boss, the lord or one of the trainers”, whined the pegasus determined and sped more.

“But... where are you bringing me?! I need to find my sister!”, screamed Fabius annoyed.

The be-winged horse landed on the shore, right in front of an old-fashioned house and whined. “He said I have to bring you here then.”

Fabi nodded and gulped as he got off the horse-back. He slowly crept nearer the door and sneaked inside without being noticed. The two gods inside were playing cards, not paying attention to him. At first he thought they may not have noticed him yet, but then they both threw their cards and the table and turned to frown at him.

“You owe me five bucks, di Angelo. I told you he would cause problems first.”

“Why did you run off, Fabius? Because don't think we don't know what you're doing here”, grunted Nico, ignoring the other god's demands. “Percy told us that he got Blackjack to bring you to Leo's if one of you tries to do something stupid on your own.”

“I'm not doing something stupid!”, protested Fabius and balled his fists. “Atti did!”

The Italian raised an eyebrow at that and got up. “What's that supposed to mean?”

“We have been playing Capture the Flag, what my team was totally winning, when grandpa and dad came and they have been screaming at each other that mommy will die and then Atti ran off! But I know mommy won't die, because mommy is strong, so I need to find Atti before mommy is better, because otherwise he will worry about her!”, declared the son of Perseus in a loud voice, tears shining in his eyes, his fists shaking. “She's my big sister, I have to take care of her!”

Nico froze for a second, a flashback hitting him. He remembered vividly how he had stood before Percy that night at camp and declared that he had to protect his big sister. The last night he had seen Bianca alive. He shook his head and laid a hand on Fabius' shoulder.

“Don't worry, we'll help you search for her. Together we'll find her”, reassured the Ghost God.

“And your mom is one fierce dude, he won't let anything kill him”, grinned the Latino softly. “So you're right and we have to find your sister before Percy is better, because otherwise we'll have one pissed-off Rain God after our asses.”

The boy still looked at the verge of crying. Nico stood and got out of his Aviator jacket, his fingers tenderly caressing the worn-out piece of clothes. Then he laid it around Fabi's shoulder.

“This is a very special jacket”, whispered the Italian.

“R... Really?”, asked Fabius curiously and rubbed his eyes. “Why?”

“My big sister gave it to me and it makes you strong. So strong that you can protect your sister. My sister had a husband now to protect her. But you, you expect two more sister now. So I'll give it to you so you can protect your sisters.”

It was only a half lie. He hadn't been able to protect Bianca, because he had not been with her. He won't let that happen to Fabius. The boy would find his sister and be able to protect her. Just as Nico had been doing with Hazel for years now. A small smile spread over the child's face.

“Thank you, uncle Nico! Now I certainly can find her! Come, we need to hurry!”, urged the son of Poseidon and grabbed both their hands to pull them out of the house.

Leo threw a concerned glare over his shoulder at the biggest palace on mount Olympus, knowing that somewhere inside of it, Percy was being in major pain, not knowing about the dangers in which his kids had thrown themselves now. The Fire God turned to the other god.

“We really need to hurry”, muttered the Latino.

Nico gritted his teeth and nodded. He was confident that Percy was strong and could pull through everything. But he had also been confident that Bianca was strong. Some things are too big, regardless of how strong a hero was. Nico sighed desperately.

 

/break\

 

Thalia sighed desperately, staring at the sleeping child in Annabeth's arms.

“What are we supposed to do with her?”, muttered the head huntress.

“I have no idea”, grunted Piper across from her and frowned. “We should find her brother first. If we return her without him, Olympus will get torn down by Percy.”

“If Percy is going to live through this”, whispered the blonde huntress darkly.

“Don't say things like these”, hissed Thalia irritated. “It's _Percy_. He won't die.”

 

/break\

 

“It's Percy!”, exclaimed Apollo wide-eyed. “He will die!”

Both Triton and Poseidon lifted their heads to stare at the Sun God. They were sitting on either side of their unconscious lover, listening to the pained sounds Percy made.

“He's flat-lining!”, hissed the blonde god and pushed them out of the way. “Seriously, have you never watched a hospital-soap?!”

The Sun God cursed in every language he knew as he did his best to reanimate the Sea Prince. This day was so fucked up. He had no idea what to do.

 

/break\

 

He had no idea what to do. With a heavy sigh he combed his fingers through his hair.

“If you were a six-years-old girl, where would you be, Valdez?”, muttered Nico.

“Why are you asking me?”, snorted the Fire God sitting on the pegasus.

“I know where we should start searching!”, interrupted Fabius irritated, sitting in front of the Latino. “That's where I wanted to go, but Blacky insisted on bringing us here.”

“Okay”, nodded Leo curiously. “Where to start, boy wonder?”

“The hunters!”, exclaimed the son of Perseus wide-eyed. “Atti always goes to auntie Annabeth.”

Leo and Nico stared at each other before they nodded. The son of Hades climbed onto the pegasus' back, closing his eyes in concentration. As the god of ghosts, he was able to feel souls. And since the huntresses were a whole bunch of souls he knew well, it would be easy to find them.

“Okay, Blackjack, I got them”, nodded Nico. “Germany, Black Forest. I'll be able to narrow it down once we're closer! Let's get going!”

 

/break\

 

“Let's stay for now”, suggested Piper with wrinkled eyebrows. “We don't know where Fabius is, but he's a clever boy, I guess he'll figure out how to find his sister.”

Annabeth nodded slowly, pulling the jacket closer around the sleeping girl in her lap. The child was only wearing the camp shirt and a green-died jeans. A bit thin considering that it was winter in Germany. They were here because of a little vacation, enjoying the Black Forest for a regular hunt for a change. She ran her hands through the black hair, so much like Percy's. Jumping in surprise, she looked up as something crashed down onto the ground in front of her. Piper and Thalia had their bows ready and aimed at the intruder, just to blink surprised and lower them again.

“Fabi... Did you just fall from the sky...?”, asked the daughter of Zeus dumbfounded.

“No, he just jumped off the pegasus”, snorted another voice.

Blackjack landed on the ground next to the fire and both Leo and Nico climbed down. They glared down at the sleeping child on Annabeth's lap. The daughter of Athena blinked pained as she locked eyes with the Ghost Prince. Nico was the first to avert his eyes.

“Atti, you stupid dummy!”, screamed Fabi and poked his sister.

Attina blinked and turned to look at her younger sibling. And then she looked away in guilt.

“They said mom will die...”, whispered the older child of Perseus. “But he's our mom...”

Soft, blue eyes locked with teary sea-green ones and Fabius hugged his older sister.

“Mommy will be alright, mommy will always be alright”, whispered the blonde boy.

“That's right, children!”, exclaimed Leo and clapped his hands. “And that exactly is the reason why we have to get you to Olympus as fast as possible! As much as I enjoy the company of you beautiful ladies, there is someone waiting for their children!”

The huntresses nodded. The Ghost God lifted his godson up onto the pegasus while Annabeth helped her goddaughter up. With a broad grin on his lips, the Latino followed.

“Leo, you will go with them. Hurry. I'll shadow-travel”, ordered Nico and turned some. “Oh, and Valdez. You owe me five bucks now!”

Laughing at that, the Fire God shook his head as the be-winged horse took off. It went silent once the flapping of the wings was out of reach. Thalia stared at the daughter of Aphrodite meaningfully and the two left slowly. Wrapping her arms around herself, her gray eyes were still fixed on the point where they had last seen the two kids.

“You know”, whispered Nico, speaking for the first time since the break-up three years ago with his ex-girlfriend. “It's good she takes so much after you. Because even when she's being irrational, she's... still being rational about it. Instead of running off to no-one knows where, she goes to you, where she knows she'll be safe.”

“I know”, chuckled the blonde girl and shook her head.

The laugh died down on her tongue, being replaced by sobs. She slowly slid down onto the snow, feeling strong arms wrapping around her shoulder.

“He'll be fine, Annie”, whispered the Ghost God. “You know him, he'll be fine.”

“But... But what if he's not?”, sobbed Annabeth. “I can't loose Percy, he's my best friend...”

 

/break\

 

“I can't loose Percy”, growled the daughter of Ares darkly. “He's my best friend.”

“I know, babe”, murmured Chris and kissed her softly.

“And what am I supposed to say, Clarisse?”, grunted the satyr a bit irritated and gritted his teeth. “He's my best friend too. And instead of walking nervously up and down in front of his room, I have to search for his stubborn children!”

“That guy seriously got too many best friends”, snickered Connor and shook his head.

“Yeah. And then he pulls one like these and gets everyone worried. Just like back then when he got himself kidnapped by Lady Hera”, nodded Travis.

“And in the end, he's always alright and everybody is relieved”, added his brother once again.

The five of them were searching places they knew the children of Perseus liked. Even though the Stolls were joking, they still frowned a bit once the others had their backs turned on them.

“Maybe we should check with camp”, muttered the older Stoll a bit uncomfortable.

“Maybe they have news”, nodded his brother and searched for a coin in his pocket.

Chris nodded at them, busy calming his wife down while his half-brothers IMed camp. The satyr watched them giddily once they returned, looking a bit irritated.

“Chiron told us that the huntresses had called and said that they found the kids and that Leo brought them to camp. So we've been running around here for the last hour completely for nothing!”, grunted Connor annoyed. “Time to return.”

“No”, growled Clarisse and shook her head. “You go alone. I have somewhere else to be.”

She turned around to face the peanut-colored pegasus whining at her. Patting his muzzle, she had to suppress tears. Scipio was hers now, because she had already lost a very dear friend. She would not loose another. Not today. Not Percy. Then she turned to the Lord of the Wild.

“Are you coming with me, Grover?”, it was more like a rhetorical question.

Grover nodded and climbed the pegasus together with her. They took off, leaving the three protesting sons of Hermes on their own. They had to be there when their best friend woke up.

 

/break\

 

They were there when their best friend woke up.

All of them. Annabeth was walking up and down in front of the bedchamber, being observed by a highly annoyed daughter of Ares. Grover was nervously chewing on one curtain, the other already half-eaten. Leo and Nico were busy glaring at the door.

And then, finally, after what felt like eternity, the door opened and Apollo came out. He was covered in golden ichor, looking worn-out and dead on his feet. The five bolted up.

“Is he...? Does he...?”, stuttered the daughter of Athena a bit green around the nose.

“He's fine”, nodded Apollo. “You can come and see him. But please, silent. He needs rest.”

The five nearly ran him over as they entered the bedroom. There, on the big bed, laid Percy, covered in sweat, pale and if not for the barely visible heaving of the chest, one would have thought he was dead. Left on his chest was Attina's head rested, on the right side laid Fabius snuggled close to him, all three of them sleeping peacefully. Triton and Poseidon were standing beside the bed, turning to them, each holding a little bundle in their hands.

“Hello”, whispered the older god, caressing the pale skin of the little baby in his arms. “Aquata, it's time to meet the rest of your family. Those are your uncles Leo, Nico and Grover and those are your aunts Clarisse and Annabeth.”

“And this”, smiled Triton, shifting the green-skinned baby a bit. “Is Alana.”

“Hey you two”, smiled Annabeth, poking Aquata's nose.

“You caused more trouble before you were born than any other kid I know”, muttered Clarisse and shook her head. “I hope you'll behave now that you're here.”

“I hope those two rascals will behave too”, grunted Nico and glared at the two sleeping children.

He smiled slightly as he noticed that Fabius was still wearing the Aviator jacket.

“What's that supposed to mean...?”, murmured a tired and exhausted voice. “They didn't misbehave, did they...?”

“Perseus, you're awake!”, gasped Triton relieved and sat down on the bed next to his consort.

He ran one hand over the eternal teen's heated skin. The Rain God smiled weakly at him.

“Did they... Are they alright?”, asked Percy slightly frightened.

The merman nodded slowly and showed him the baby in his arms. Poseidon sat down on his son's other side, showing little Aquata. Both babies giggled as they saw their mother.

“They're beautiful”, whispered the Sea Prince slightly surprised.

He shifted some, trying to sit up, but the weight of his two older children stopped him. That and the cries of his friends. He looked up in slight surprise, staring at them.

“What are you guys doing here?”, asked Percy confused. “You look like shit.”

“That's your fault, Jackson”, grunted Clarisse and shook her head. “You had us worried here.”

“Yeah. Never pull such a stunt again, or I might get a godly heart-attack”, agreed Leo.

“Really?”, muttered the Rain God. “What happened?”

“It... didn't look good for you”, murmured his father, tracing Percy's cheek-bones. “We thought we would loose you... You and the children... But then Leo brought Fabius and Attina and... Somehow, you got better... I have no idea why though...”

“That's because they're channeling me”, smiled Percy and leaned down to kiss his kids.

“Channeling?”, repeated Triton a bit confused.

As the others in the room looked equally confused, the Sea Prince frowned.

“You know how the bond between a mother and her child is a strong one. With gods and their fully-godly children, it's even stronger. With a water-bound deity, it's the strongest. We follow the same flow, the same currents. Imagine emotions and energy as sea-currents and if my currents are in disarray, they can set them at ease again, because we're in sync. We share the same ocean.”

“I... didn't know that”, muttered Poseidon surprised. “Why didn't I know that?”

“Perhaps because Amphitrite never told you. What do you think why she still insists on seeing Triton at least once a month? And why I never disagreed to that, even though I hate her. But I know the bond she shares with Triton”, whispered the Rain God.

“So... Your kids saved your life?”, asked Grover slowly.

“My little heroes”, grinned Percy and ruffled his children's hair.

“Wait. Is that the reason why Apollo had send us to fetch the two?”, asked Poseidon slowly.

“I guess so. He knows”, nodded the Sea Prince. “But he probably didn't tell you to not give you any false hope. Guess it really didn't look good for me there.”

He was interrupted by firm lips pressing against his. “Never do that to me again, Perseus.”

Percy smiled softly and turned some, knowing his father was at his other side. The older god leaned in and stole a kiss of his own. Sighing contently, the eternal teen leaned back some.

“Never frighten us like that again, Perce”, murmured Poseidon.

“I guess”, smirked the merman. “That means we have to make more kids to ensure they can keep you safe in such a case.”

“I guess so”, laughed his consort amused.

His five friends were exchanging some meaningful glances before nodding.

“We will take our leave again”, announced Leo. “You need time to rest, Percy.”

“Yes. And Leo owns me five gold drachma, which he will pay back to me in form of vine. Now. At the muses' bar”, added the Ghost God and laid one arm around the other god's shoulder.

“It's... good to see you alive, Percy”, smiled Grover.

“I'll inform Chiron and camp that everything is fine and that there are two new campers awaiting their first summer”, grinned Clarisse, ruffling Percy's hair.

“I'm glad you're alright”, whispered Annabeth as she pulled her best friend into a tight hug.

“I'll drop by, as soon as my two overly protective lovers will let me out of bed again. And for once that doesn't even imply anything perverted”, grunted the Sea Prince with a pout.

“Oh please, no such comments!”, yelped Leo and shuddered. “I don't want to hear such a thing!”

“Yep, time to leave”, nodded Grover with a chuckle.

Together they went outside, closing the door slowly. Percy smiled after them before looking from one of his lovers to the other. Both of them reached over to place the babies between their older children so they could snuggle up to their mother. They then laid down themselves, hugging the older kids and kissing Percy's cheeks softly.

“I... Never before have I ever felt as frightened as in the past few hours”, murmured Poseidon.

“I'm alright”, smiled the former demi-god.

His eyes wandered over his little family, enjoying how peaceful they were looking. Though then his eyes caught two things on his son which bothered him.

“Did he dye his hair?”, grunted Percy with a frown, then glaring at his husband and at his father. “I have to stay on Olympus for a few months and you allow our son to dye his hair? Are you out of your minds?! Seriously, how did you two even cope in the past! You can't allow a five-years-old to get blue streaks in his hair!”

“We didn't allow--”, started the merman slowly, just to be interrupted.

“And why is Fabi wearing the most valuable possession of Nico? What did they mean with the ruckus our kids caused? What happened? Something must have happened!”

“Perhaps they ran away”, muttered the Sea God guiltily.

“Perhaps!”, yelped Percy wide-eyed. “Perhaps they ran away?! Can't you watch them, not even for a few months?! How is this supposed to go with the twins now!”

“Mommy...? Don't fight with daddy and grandpa”, murmured the sleepy voice of his son.

Percy blinked and looked down at him, suddenly smiling softly. Everything was good.


	12. VI. Interlude: Soft Spot

VI. Interlude: Soft Spot

 

Triton frowned slightly. He preferred to spend his mornings ravishing his consort, though his youngest children did have different plans. The twins were very cuddly – something they certainly inherited from their mother. So every morning those two little squids would sneak into their bed. Since this seemed like an invitation, their two older children joined those cuddling sessions too, even though they never had done that when they were smaller. Sure, eight years old Atti was slowly starting to feel too cool to hang out with her parents, so he was kind of grateful that this brought her closer to them again. Still, he would have preferred to do something else with his consort.

“Ally, stop pulling your brother's hair”, chided Percy with a smile.

The merman having one arm leisurely laid around his oldest daughter who was busy braiding Aquata's hair. Attina loved dressing and styling her two younger siblings and the two-years-olds didn't mind that at all. The twins were snuggling up on Percy's torso and while Aquata got a new hair-do, Alana was busy pulling her older brother's hair, who had cuddled close to their mother too. Poseidon had his arm laid around both of them, his hand resting on top of Percy's stomach.

“They're children, let them play”, chuckled the Sea God amused.

“That's no way of raising children, daddy”, grunted the Sea Prince and rolled his eyes.

“Mommy, uncle Leo wanted to take me out on a trip today... Can I go?”, asked Fabi lowly.

“I don't think it's a good idea to leave you all alone with him”, muttered Percy and ruffled the blonde hair of his only son, kissing the top of his head. “Ask grandpa.”

“Right. Let me be the bad guy”, grunted Poseidon and rolled his eyes.

“Grandpa, ple—ease!”, begged Fabius with wide, ocean-blue eyes.

“You're one little bugger”, muttered his father/grandfather. “As if I could deny you. Yes, go.”

The blonde boy jumped up right away to run out of the room. Attina blinked irritated and glared after her brother before sitting up herself, letting go of Aquata's hazel-brown hair.

“Mo—om! That's unfair! If he can go with uncle Leo, I want to go with the hunters! They'll leave today for Canada and auntie Thalia asked me if I want to join them! You just have to let me go too if you let him go!”, complained the girl with her trademark pigtails.

“Atti, I told you I don't want you participating in something so dangerous”, grunted Percy.

“Yeah, right. Because whatever uncle Leo wants to do is perfectly safe”, muttered Attina.

“Alright! Fine!”, groaned the former demi-god. “Go and bother the hunters!”

“Yes!”, exclaimed his oldest daughter broadly and swam out of the bedroom at high speed.

The twins exchanged a meaningful look before turning big, pleading eyes on their mother. Triton chuckled at that. Their kids had perfected how to manipulate their three parents into doing whatever they wanted. Alana bit her bright, green lips and pouted adorably. Triton loved all his kids, but little Ally had a special spot in his heart because she was until now the only child with his green skin. While Aqua was so very loved because she looked startling like Sally Jackson. And Attina was so special to them because not only was she his first child but also she looked like a female version of Percy, even with her green tail, the same color of the custom-made thing Aphrodite had gotten Percy to the wedding. And Fabius was unique because he was the only boy and because he was Poseidon's. Triton loved him just as much, even though he wasn't his.

“Mo—om”, chimed the twins high-pitched. “Can we spend the day with uncle Tyson?”

“Triton! They're yours! You may settle this! I don't want to anymore!”, groaned the Sea Prince annoyed and threw his hands up. “They always want something dangerous! You take care. I will spend the day with Hazel. Preparing her for what is about to come. I have no idea why she and Frank still insisted on wanting children after meeting our bunch of rascals!”

Triton smiled slightly. He knew his consort loved their children just as much.


	13. Death is Part of Life and Part of Death is Alive

6\. Death is Part of Life and Part of Death is Alive

 

Clarisse frowned deeply as she watched the children play in front of her.

“You know, if you keep frowning like that, your face may freeze.”

“Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean I won't hit you, Zhang”, warned the daughter of Ares.

The golden-eyed woman laughed softly as she sat down next to her friend, rubbing her highly-pregnant belly. She was due every day now and Frank was throwing one fuss after the other. So they had decided to leave Camp Jupiter and visit his older half-sister, because Clarisse always managed to calm him down a bit. And the mother of two children would certainly also be able to ease Hazel's mind a bit. This was their fist child and she didn't want to imagine anything going wrong.

“Besides, I am just worried”, muttered the brunette and tugged her hair back.

They were in the kitchen of the Big House, watching the six children in the living room. Attina and Calandra were sparring with each other, both trying to perfect their material arts since they were already very good with swords. The two boys, Fabius and Chrysander, were sitting on the floor, ignoring their older sisters while they played with their Mythomagic cards. The three-years old twins were sitting on the couch, watching the two older girls in awe. Alana's black hair and Aquata's brown here was braided, something their older sister loved to do. The oldest child of Percy had her hair high in two pigtails to keep it out of her face, a green toga wrapped around her body as she blocked one of her best friend's attacks. Calandra smirked, taking the opportunity to kick Attina's unprotected side. The green-eyed daughter of Triton grunted and went down.

“Atti!”, exclaimed the twins worried and hurried to their sister's side.

“I'm okay, girls”, grinned the pigtailed girl and rubbed her ribs.

For her nine years, she was good. Very good. But not as good as Clarisse's daughter. Perhaps because of the Ares-genes within her. Or the very frequent training with her mother.

“Why are you worried?”, asked Hazel confused. “The kids are fine.”

“I'm not worried about the kids. Maybe Fabius a bit because of the whole father-grandfather issue he doesn't know about...”, mused the brunette and shook her head. “I'm worried about Percy.”

“Why?”, wanted the daughter of Pluto confused to know.

Her eyes trailed over to Chrysander and Fabius. The blonde boy had many blue streaks in his hair and was always wearing Nico's Aviator jacket. And now he even had started playing Mythomagic. It had a few campers worried that she son of Percy Jackson was taking so much after Nico di Angelo. Though the boy did spend most of his time with his godfather because of his confusing family and the fact that he had three sisters and was now with his eight years in the age where girls became stupid. Especially so the own sisters. So he did try to lean to Leo and Nico for male guidance. Which did not go unnoticed by a slightly irritated Sea Prince. Percy did feel a bit left out, though on the other hand he was grateful for the help of his friends. Since he already had to put up with two horny lovers, two young, whiny children, one rebellious daughter whose newest obsession was joining the hunters ('Not in my lifetime, young woman!' - was the only reply he would give to that) and his job at camp. Perhaps it was good that the kids spend their summers at camp, that way they at least had some contact to other children their age, other children with powers.

Though what bothered Clarisse at the moment was the fact that it wasn't summer. It was winter. And normally, the four mini-Jacksons spend those with their fathers and their mother. But this morning, Percy had surprisingly dropped by and left his kids in the camp leader's care...

 

/flashback\

 

“ _Clarisse.”_

“ _Percy?”, grunted the daughter of Ares irritated and turned around._

_It was hard enough to try and cook something with Calandra and Chrysander running around her and nearly bringing her to fall. But now she had suddenly six livid kids running around her feet and a strained looking Sea Prince standing in front of her. This whole godly beaming was very irritating since Percy didn't use the door-bell anymore and his rascals could pop up everywhere._

“ _What are you doing here?”, asked the brunette woman surprised and walked over to him._

_They hugged briefly and from that close, Clarisse noticed the bangs under his eyes. He looked exhausted and stressed, his hands were shaking slightly, his hair was in complete disarray. There were crusts of tried tears on his cheeks and his eyes were puffy._

“ _What's wrong, Percy?”, whispered Clarisse worried. “Is something wrong with the baby?”_

_Her hand wandered down to his mid-section. It didn't show much just yet, only the tiniest bulge. His hand laid down on top of hers and he shook his head._

“ _The baby is fine. I just... I need to take care of something very urgent. But... Triton and dad are busy on Olympus at the moment and I can't take the children with me”, muttered Percy with unfocused eyes, staring sadly down at his kids. “Can you take care of them? Only for a few hours.”_

“ _Of course”, nodded the daughter of Ares shortly. “But tell me what's wrong with you.”_

_Shaking his head slowly, he took a retreating step back and in a fancy light show, he disappeared, leaving her alone with the daughters of Triton and the son of Poseidon._

“ _Auntie Clarisse, where did mommy go?”, asked Fabius with big, blue eyes as he tugged on her shirt, biting his lips. “Why is mom so sad?”_

“ _I have no idea, Fabi”, grunted the camp leader displeased and got down onto her knees, looking at him. “Did he say anything to you? Why he brought you here?”_

“ _He said something bad had happened”, murmured the blonde boy with a thoughtful expression on his face, trying very hard to remember if anything had been important. “But he also said he will take care of it and fix it. He promised. And mommy always fixes everything, so it will be alright.”_

_Clarisse chuckled darkly and patted his head. The boy was adorable, he worshiped Percy so much._

 

/flashback|end\

 

“Auntie Clarisse?”, tore said adorable boy's voice her out of her musings.

“What is it, Fabi?”, asked the daughter of Ares curiously and looked down at the child.

The young god had come to an abrupt halt right in front of her, stumbling slightly and nearly crashing face-first onto the floor. Hazel next to her chuckled.

“When will mommy return?”, wanted the blonde to know. “Because he promised to me we would go and watch the whales in the cold seas!”

“I'm sure he will come back soon”, reassured the daughter of Pluto with a soft smile. “Or did he ever disappoint your or break a promise?”

“No!”, gasped Fabius. “Mommy would never do that!”

“See”, grinned the heavily pregnant woman. “So go back and play with Chrys some more, because it does look like he's teaming up with Atti against his sister... That does worry me.”

The boy turned around sharply and sprinted back into the living room to join Cally in a sibling-fight. Clarisse rolled her eyes at that and turned back to Hazel. There was worry evident in the golden eyes and the daughter of Ares scrunched her eyebrows.

“What's bothering you, girl?”, grunted the brunette.

“Nico wanted to meet me at the Big House. He had promised to drop by half an hour ago... Normally he is always in time”, sighed Hazel and shook her head. “It's probably nothing, but those hormones are making me overly worried these days...”

 

/break\

 

Nico growled irritated. He had promised to come to camp to check on his highly pregnant sister since his brother-in-law was at his wits' end with her temper. The hormones really messed with Hazel. So it was his duty as her older brother to take care. There was only one problem...

“You fucking asshole!”, screamed the son of Poseidon and lunged at him.

It was cheap to shadow-travel out of the way, but there was no other solution the Ghost God saw. He re-appreared a bit farther away, watching how his best friend collided with the solid ground. A few ghosts shied away from the two fighting gods, frightened by them.

“Percy, calm down”, sighed Nico and massaged his temples.

Though speaking was the wrong thing to do since it drew the attention of the Sea Prince back to him. Percy grunted and stood slowly, glaring at him. Though the glare didn't really work since tears were streaming down his cheeks.

“I won't calm down, you useless, stupid, arrogant brat!”, hissed the enraged Rain God.

How did it even come so far? Nico frowned and tried to think back...

 

/flashback|this|morning\

 

“ _How are you feeling?”_

“ _I'm great, mom”, grinned Percy and leaned down to hug her._

“ _I'm too, Missus Blofis”, smiled Nico politely and nodded._

“ _Where are my grandchildren?”, demanded Sally to know._

_She smiled fondly at them as she led them into the kitchen to get the muffins out of the oven. The Ghost God licked his lips at the wonderful smell of chocolate._

“ _One is already here”, grinned the son of Poseidon cheekily and pointed to his belly._

“ _You just keep getting pregnant so no one may note on the weight you gained”, smirked Nico._

“ _No weight-comments on the preggo!”, hissed Percy irritated and hit him upside the head._

“ _Ow!”, whined the son of Hades and rubbed the backside of his head._

“ _You two never grew up”, chuckled Sally amused and placed the muffins on the table._

“ _We don't intent to”, chimed both boys with broad grins and lunged at the muffins._

“ _But to answer your question”, grunted the Sea Prince with a full mouth. “Much to Paul's misery, we met him on our way here and they kept nagging until he agreed to buy them ice.”_

“ _What? And why haven't you accompanied them?”, asked his mother surprised._

“ _Because after we met Nico and Paul, I thought I would go to fetch you too mom. Big family outing”, grinned Percy, grabbing another muffin before getting up. “Now come.”_

_The mortal woman chuckled lowly and shook her head amused._

 

/back|to|now\

 

Nico shook his head to ease his jaw. For not having fought for years, Percy still had a rough right. The Sea Prince sat crouched together on the floor, rubbing his fist. The golden ichor of the other god was clinging to his knuckles. The son of Hades flinched and spat some of his ichor onto the floor, making a disgusted face at the taste.

“What are you good for?!”, screamed the son of Poseidon into his face.

He was angry, but he looked pathetic. Broken down, furious. Crying and screaming.

“Percy, please”, sighed the Ghost God exhausted. “Calm down now, will you?”

“No!”, hissed Percy angry. “No! You were there, but you did nothing... Why didn't you do anything? You could have... Why...”

He broke down onto the floor. Tartarus-dark eyes blinked sadly at the image. Just like this morning.

 

/flashback|later|that|morning\

 

_Percy sat on the middle of the street, crying desperately. Sadness clouded dark brown eyes as Nico watched him, one arm wrapped around the older god's back, rubbing soothing circles on it, the other combing through the black, damp hair. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Paul and the children. They were still some off, but they were slowly coming closer._

“ _Percy”, whispered the Ghost God, being ignored. “Percy, come on. Your kids are coming. You should go and get them before they get here.”_

_Sea-green eyes, slightly dulled, looked up at him, past him. The image of his slowly nearing children brought him back to reality._

 

/back|to|now\

 

“You were there and don't tell me you didn't know!”, hissed the Rain God.

He stood in front of the son of Hades, his fists balled and shaking in anger. He was really trying to not hit the Ghost God again so he may get some answers. But what he really longed to do right now was hitting the Italian until not even Hades himself may recognize the boy!

“There are rules, Percy”, muttered Nico and shook his head.

“Fuck the rules!”, screamed Percy annoyed. “You always fucked the rules! And now you're giving a damn? Why?! Why now?”

“Because we are adults now. And gods. We have responsibilities now”, tried the son of Hades to reason with his best friend, knowing it was futile.

“Fuck it!”, growled the Sea Prince. “You never gave a damn about the rules! When Bianca had died, you would have gladly exchanged my soul for hers!”

“This has nothing to do with Bianca”, hissed Nico defensively.

“Don't kid yourself, di Angelo”, snorted the Rain God. “This has everything to do with Bianca! Once you heard about the open doors of death, it didn't even take you a second to get down there to get her out! And when you couldn't find her, you just got your other sister out! So tell me, since when do you give a fuck about the rules?! Or is it only okay to break the rules if it's about your family, you hypocrite!”

“No, Percy. But things have changed”, answered the son of Hades, trying to sound as calm as possible. “I'm a god now, not a stubborn child.”

“But she's my mother!”, screamed the desperate Sea Prince, slowly collapsing on the floor. “She is my mother and you are the damn god of ghosts and death! You _knew_! You could have prevented it! But all you did was standing there and watching how that fucking car hit her!”

He hit the ground with his fists, hyperventilating through his tears. Nico looked down at him in worry. This was not what he had hoped for. Of course this couldn't have ended well. But this was far worse than he had thought. His thoughts were interrupted by a pained yelp.

“Percy? Are you... Well, stupid question”, grunted the Ghost God and sat down next to his friend.

The only answer he received was a whimper. The Sea Prince was clutching his stomach in pain. Okay. So not how he had imagined this to go. Too much stress, too much hyperventilating.

“Percy? Come on, I'll get you to Apollo”, whispered Nico worried and tried to reach for him.

“Don't... touch me, di Angelo”, hissed Percy pained.

The son of Hades flinched away some, a hurt look passing through his dark eyes.

“Fine”, nodded the Ghost God slowly. “I'll get Leo to bring you...”

This day couldn't possibly get any worse. He traveled through the shadows, back up to Leo Valdez' house on Olympus. It would have been better to get Poseidon or Triton, but those two were in an emergency meeting with the wind gods and the god king himself concerning the weather changes.

“Nico! Nice of you to drop by”, grinned the Fire God lazily.

He was laying on the bed, tinkering a bit. The whole house looked completely messy with chunks of metal and gadgets, smears of oil on everything.

“No time for small-talk, Valdez”, grunted the son of Hades. “I need you to get to the underworld, right at the entrance of Elysium. Percy is there and he needs to get to Apollo. Immediately.”

“And why didn't you just bring him?”, grunted Leo and rolled his eyes, getting up.

“He... Look, just do it”, growled Nico irritated.

The Latino blinked surprised and nodded before disappearing in a blast of light. Nico popped his neck and checked his mental to-do-list. In the blink of an eye, he found himself someplace else. Someplace no one liked to be. The pathology of the nearest hospital in New York.

“Paul”, whispered the son of Hades lowly.

The man, standing in front of the metal table, was beside himself. His eyes were wide and haunted, blood was smeared over his torso, his hands gripping the table hard.

“Nico”, acknowledged the mortal monotonously.

“You can hit me if you want. Your stepson already did”, offered the Ghost God and stepped up.

Paul shook his head, slowly easing his hands off the table, running his fingers slowly through the bloodied brunette hair of his wife. A single tear ran down his cheek.

“She looks like she's asleep”, whispered the teacher in a broken voice. “I don't blame you, Nico. You were not the one driving the car. But answer me one question. Where is she?”

“In Elysium”, answered the god. “And she said... She will wait for you.”

“Where are Percy and the children?”

“When... When you drove with the ambulance, he took them to camp”, murmured the Ghost God. “They don't know what had happened. They hadn't seen anything.”

“And Percy?”, repeated the man.

“He is with... Leo”, replied Nico.

He didn't need to burden Paul with more now. The mortal had to digest his wife's death now.

“You're a bad liar. But thank you.”

“For what?”, asked the son of Hades confused.

“For being there. For not letting her die alone, for not letting Percy watch his mother die on his own. And for giving him someone to blame. Please... take care of her for me.”

Nico nodded slowly and took a step back, right through the shadows. To give Paul the privacy to grief on his own. And to get on with his list. It was nice to hear that the mortal understood. Though maybe Paul was just being so rational because he was still in shock.

“Uncle Nico! Uncle Nico, where is mommy?!”

Not half a second later and he had both arms full of his godson. The Big House.

“Your mommy is...”, Nico interrupted himself with a cough. “Where is Clarisse?”

Fabius frowned at his odd behavior as he was sat down onto the floor again. Though he shrugged it off and tugged on the older god's hand to pull him into the living room. Hazel was leaning against Frank, half asleep, with the twins on their laps, those two being deep asleep. The other three older children were sitting on the floor with cards in front of them, obviously waiting for Fabius. Clarisse and Chris were sitting on an armchair together, the son of Hermes having his arms around his wife.

“Nico? You're late”, commented Hazel with a sharp glare and a yawn.

“Can I... talk to you four? Without the kids?”, asked the Ghost God, ignoring his sister.

The daughter of Pluto frowned and looked at her husband. Giving a sharp nod, the Canadian got up and helped his wife off the couch too. Clarisse stared at the children for a second, telling them without words to behave and stay put. Together the five adults went to the kitchen.

“What's the matter, di Angelo?”, asked the camp trainer skeptically. “You look even more grumpy than the average death god around here. Tell me what's happening here.”

“I...”, the Italian stocked. “Sally is dead.”

“Sally? You mean... Percy's mom?”, hissed Hazel wide-eyed, looking back at the children. “Their grandmother? Is that the reason Percy left them here?”

Nico nodded and leaned back against the table, his eyes downcast. The kitchen was silent.

“How is he... handling that?”, asked Frank hoarsely, still remembering his mother's death.

“Not good”, grunted the god lowly. “He had dumped the kids here and then he followed me to the underworld and... That doesn't matter now. He had contractions. I think that something is wrong with the baby. I will be heading to Olympus to check on him.”

“And we will come with you, of course”, grunted Clarisse determined and worried.

Heaving a sigh, her husband grabbed her arm. “I'll stay with the kids.”

He was friends with Percy, yes. But by far not as close as Clarisse, Hazel or Frank. And the children were too mischievous to stay alone. The daughter of Pluto was worrying her lips.

“Oh, I hope he will be alright... And the baby... He is still in his critical trimester...”

Trying to overhear this comment, her brother wrapped his arms around the three, nodding Chris off and vanishing through the shadows. Once they opened their eyes again, they were in the hall in front of the infirmary of Apollo. Triton and Poseidon were pacing nervously, so were Leo and the huntresses. Nico blinked surprised as he spotted Piper, Thalia and Annabeth.

“What are you guys doing here?”, asked the Ghost God confused.

“Leo IMed us that something is not right with the baby and with Percy... Actually, he tried to reach Grover, but since Grover was with us...”, answered the native-American huntress.

“And where is Grover?”, asked Clarisse with one raised eyebrow.

Frank helped Hazel into one of the chairs in front of the room so she could rest. Thalia next to her laid one hand soothingly on top of hers, throwing a worried glance at them.

“He's inside with Percy”, replied Piper, her eyes trailing to the closed door.

Nico's eyes though trailed over to the two Sea Gods. “Why aren't they with him?”

“Percy wanted his best friend with him. And he made it pretty clear that he only wanted Grover with him”, explained the daughter of Aphrodite with a shrug, before turning some. “Damn it, Valdez. Stop it, you juggling fireballs does not help any!”

The Fire God jumped slightly and his flames vanished. He cast his eyes down in guilt and sat down next to Frank in awkward silence. Clarisse locked eyes with Triton and walked up to him.

“How are you?”, asked the daughter of Ares in a low voice.

“He just... lost his mother...”, whispered the merman and rubbed his forehead. “His mother is the most important person in his life. I can't start to imagine what he is going through...”

“I can't believe that Sally is dead...”, murmured Poseidon.

Sadness clouded their sea-green eyes. It was obvious that both mourned the wonderful woman but were even more so worried for their lover's safety. And for their child.

“Where are our children?”, asked Triton with a frown. “I heard that Perseus had left them in your care. Are they unharmed? There was a... a car accident, was it?”

“They're unharmed”, tried Clarisse to calm him down. “Chris stayed with them. They don't know...”

“Good. That's better, at least for now”, muttered the Lord of the Sea with a dark frown.

Poseidon clawed his fingers into his own upper arms, deep in thought.

“That's not important for now”, interrupted Annabeth as she joined them. “You don't have to think of a way to explain this to them just now. The only thing important now is Percy.”

Clarisse nodded in agreement, her eyes searching for the others. Piper had slumped down next to the Latino, fidgeting with her hands. And it seemed that the son of Mars tried to calm himself by constantly rubbing his wife's belly. Which also seemed to calm Hazel down too. Though in the shadows, as if he was not part of them, lurked Nico and watched them. The brunette frowned at that and turned to her fellow female, pulling her close.

“Nico was the one who told us”, whispered Clarisse.

“He was the one who send Leo to fetch Percy too”, noted Annabeth and raised one eyebrow.

“Do you think... That he was there?”, asked the camp trainer curiously.

The blonde just opened her mouth to form a reply, but that was the moment Apollo emerged from the infirmary. Blonde hair hid his eyes and golden ichor covered his hands.

“How is he?”, wanted Poseidon to know, a panicked look in his eyes as he stepped closer.

“How is the baby?”, demanded Triton to know.

The two Sea Gods cornered the Sun God and Apollo lowered his gaze. He shook his head sadly.

“Percy is... physically speaking, he is alright. But the baby... I'm sorry.”

“What do you mean? Why are you sorry?”, growled the merman threateningly.

“And why only physically? Is something wrong?”, asked the Lord of the Sea critically.

“Please calm down and let me explain”, sighed the blonde god with a sad expression. “He lost the baby. The stress and the panic attack he had caused him to have a miscarriage. And the loss of both his mother and his child at the same day... I honestly don't know about his mental state.”

“Then let us to him”, demanded Poseidon irritated and pushed past his nephew.

Clarisse watched how the two Sea Gods ran past the healer and into the infirmary. She wanted to follow, but somehow her feet didn't work. Percy had lost the child. Wasn't it enough that he had just lost his mother? Did the fates have to be so cruel? Sobs disturbed her thoughts and she turned some to look at her sister-in-law, seeing how Frank had his arms tightly wrapped around Hazel, both looking as if they couldn't believe what they had just heard. And Nico...

“Where is Nico?”, asked the brunette slowly.

“I...”, started Annabeth, but she stopped herself and started moving.

The daughter of Ares could only watch how the blonde huntress walked away from them, her steps becoming stronger and faster the more she neared the exit. Determination made her run through the halls, hoping to find the Ghost God. She knew that guilt was eating him away.

“Nico!”, called the daughter of Athena loudly.

The sun blinded her for a moment as she entered the godly gardens. A cough interrupted her calling and she blinked to regain her sight. Nico stood in front of the entrance, smoking. Annabeth frowned and tried to wave the smoke away so it may not catch in her throat again.

“Nico! When did you start smoking?!”

“I'm a god now, Annie. It's not like I could get lung cancer”, grunted the Italian with one raised eyebrow. “What are you doing here? You should be with the others.”

“And so should you”, stated the blonde and glared. “Why did you leave?”

“He just lost his child because he blames me for loosing his mother. I guess I'm the last person he wants to see at the moment”, snorted Nico darkly. “And he's right.”

“What did happen?”, asked Annabeth softly and got closer.

“I saw her on the list”, whispered the son of Hades and lowered his gaze. “The list of deaths. And... I checked. She was supposed to die in a car accident today, on the way to a café with her son. I... There are rules, I can't just jump in front of her and say 'No, Sally, you can't leave this house today!', but the least I could do was being there for Percy... The problem is that... he blames me. And I guess he is right. I broke the rules before. I would have broken any rule to save Bianca. But I watched her die just like that... Even though she had been like a mother to me in the past years...”

He slowly glided down the wall to sit on the grass, resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. Annabeth looked down at him with pity and sat next to him.

“You were a young boy. More a child back then. You lost your sister when you were ten. And she was your only family”, whispered the daughter of Athena soothingly. “It's hard for Percy, yes. Loosing your mother is always hard. But he is not alone. He has Paul, Triton, Poseidon and his children. He may now be sad and devastated, but... Dead is part of life. She was mortal, she would have died eventually. It's not fair, but... it has to happen.”

“But I'm a death god, damn it! I should be able to protect my friends from harm!”, growled the Italian and lifted his head to glare at her, tears prickling in his eyes.

“You can't protect everyone, Nikki”, murmured Annabeth and ran her thumb over his cheek.

“But he protected me so often. He's my best friend”, sobbed Nico.

The blonde wrapped her arms around him as he clung to her for dear life. Sadness clouded her gray eyes and she pressed them close to prevent her own tears from spilling.

“He will be alright again”, whispered the daughter of Athena. “He is strong. He already lost so many and he always managed to keep living. Even this will not destroy him.”

“It was enough to cause him to loose the child, Annie!”, hissed the young god.

Annabeth flinched and averted her eyes. “Because of the shock, Nico. Bot because of you. This was... unexpected. She wasn't ill or very old, no one would have expected her to die. Especially not Percy. He's under shock, but he will eventually come around. He will realize that it was not your fault and that it was inevitable. It may take time, yes. But it will happen.”

“But what if not...?”, mumbled Nico into her shoulder.

She heaved a sigh and ran her fingers through his messy hair, praying to every god listening that Percy would come through this mentally unharmed.

“I can hear you, you know”, grunted the Italian.

“What?”, asked the huntress confused.

“The praying. I can hear that”, chuckled Nico lowly.

He slowly broke their embrace and leaned back against the wall. A weight on his shoulder brought his attention to the blonde next to him. Her eyes were closed, a frown marred her beautiful features. The silver moon bracelet around her upper arm caught the light of the setting sun. The blonde hair looked golden in the light. She was the image of perfection.

“Thank you”, whispered the Ghost God.

“Mh?”, murmured Annabeth questioningly, not opening her eyes.

“For the pep talk”, explained Nico. “I mean... This was the longest conversation we've had since...”

“The break-up. Yes”, nodded the daughter of Athena and blinked.

Stunning gray eyes locked with Tartarus-dark ones, both pair shining with unshed tears.

“The break-up”, confirmed the god, hating the taste of the word on his tongue.

“Look... It had been years ago”, sighed Annabeth and bit her lips. “I... never wanted to loose you.”

“I know. It's my fault. I should have declined immortality”, grunted Nico.

“No”, objected the blonde and shook her head. “You're your father's heir. It was the right decision. But I've been... I don't know. Percy gave up on it for me back then, maybe that... Look, what I'm trying to say is that many things went wrong between us. But I hope that...”

“That?”, repeated Nico curiously and sat up some more.

“That we can go back to the way things were...”, drawled the huntress.

His heart skipped a beat and be blinked, unable to form words.

“That would be... Yes, yes”, nodded the son of Hades hastily.

“I miss you”, smiled Annabeth. “And... I really want to be your friend again.”

Oh. Friend. Of course. The Ghost God cursed himself in his head. How could he be so stupid? Of course as a friend, she had vowed maidenhood to Lady Artemis.

“So... Friends again?”, tried Nico, mustering a half-smile and extending his hand.

“Friends”, nodded the blonde and shook his hand.

“And you really think that Percy will forgive me?”, murmured the son of Hades and leaned back.

She copied him and both came to rest their heads against each other, her long hair spilling over his shoulder. He sneaked one arm around her waist and she snuggled closer. The last rays of the sun warmed their skin and hair. She smelled of the forest the huntresses had last stayed in and of old books, he smelled of raw dirt and death. And both liked it.

“He will. And who knows, maybe he finds someone else to blame?”, chuckled Annabeth.

 

/break\

 

“Perseus?”, whispered Triton as he slowly neared the still body on the bed.

“Go away”, murmured a tired voice.

“Percy?”, asked Poseidon confused and sat down on the bed.

His oldest son sat down next to him. The former demi-god next to them had his back turned to them and seemed in no mood to turn around and face them.

“I said go away...”

His voice was hoarse from screaming and crying, his body shivered. He was curled together to the smallest possible, as if he tried to disappear. No. Not shivering, sobs were ragging his body, noted his father in worry. He ran one hand through the damp, black hair.

“Percy, why are you saying this?”, asked Poseidon confused.

“Because she was only the first”, whispered Percy.

“The first what?”, wanted his husband to know.

“The first I'll loose”, growled the Sea Prince and turned slowly onto his back, wincing in pain.

“Stay put, please. You need to rest”, tried Triton to reason with him.

“Don't tell me what to do”, hissed Percy irritated, facing them.

The sea-green eyes of the prince were disturbingly dull and empty, tears spilling from them.

“Percy, we know what had happened with... Sally”, whispered Poseidon.

He wrapped his arms around his son to hug him, but the former hero pushed him away with all the strength left in his body. The oldest Sea God frowned at that and looked sideways. Triton shrugged.

“She was only the first... I... Because of you I will have to eventually watch everyone die!”, screamed Percy enraged. “It's your fault because you tricked me into immortality! If I wouldn't have... if I... I would have been able to stop this! I would not have been there, because I would study somewhere and then she wouldn't have been there today! And she is only the first! Paul and all the campers, all my friends and that's your fault! I know why I never wanted immortality! But you... You forced me into this! And now I have to loose them all! So get out of here!!!”

Poseidon tried to gulp the guilt down and stood to slowly retreat from the room. His love was right. It was his fault that Percy was stuck with immortality now even though he never wanted it. And deep down, he had always known that this would come. The day Percy would remember why he had been against immortality. The day Percy would turn on him. The day he may loose Percy.

“I'm sorry, love”, whispered his father.

“No!”, screamed the teen under tears. “You're not sorry! You're egoistic! Just like every other god! You wanted me and that was all you have been thinking about! You forced Triton and me into this marriage because of your own ulterior motives! You _never_ thought about me!”

A pillow hit Poseidon square in the face and he was grateful that nothing sharp or hard was near him. Triton bit his lip and laid his arms around his consort.

“Perseus, please calm down”, whispered the merman soothingly. “You need to rest, love.”

“I don't care about rest!”, sobbed the former demi-god and slumped back against his husband's chest, closing his eyes. “Why should I rest...? It's not like that would help the baby any...”

Triton watched out of the corner of his eyes how their father left the room. It hurt him to see that heart-broken look on Poseidon's face because he knew how much their father loved Perseus. But right now it was only important to comfort the broken boy.


	14. VII. Interlude: Low Spirits

VII. Interlude: Low Spirits

 

Percy stood alone in front of a grave. The stone, once shiny and azure blue, was dirty from the rain. It had rained much in the past three years. Not even the boundaries of camp were safe from the Rain God's mood. Three summers since he had last been at camp. He had quit being a trainer, because that would have meant to get to know the mortal heroes better. More people he would loose. His friendship to Nico had been strained since that day, they had barely talked to each other. As had been his relationship to his father. The Sea God had moved out of their shared bedroom without protests and tried his best to stay out of Percy's way – so he may at least keep the Sea Prince close. Because at first, the former demi-god had threatened to move out with Triton and the children. Even his relationship to them had never been the same. He was so full of guilt for loosing the baby, he could barely look at his children. There was always those questions in the back of his head. Would it have been a girl or a boy? And what would the child have looked like now?

Biting his lips at those depressing thoughts, he nearly crumbled the blue roses in his hands. Tears spilled freely over his cheeks and he couldn't hold it together any longer, he collapsed on the ground in front of the gravestone, the flowers laying beside him as he gripped the stone hard. He had lost the one person that had always loved him unconditionally. During his childhood, when they been with Gabe, she was the only one he had. The only one. He had no friends until he had met Grover, no, his mother had always been his best friend. She had always accepted him. When he had told her he was gay, when he had told her he would marry his brother because of their father's wish, when he had told her he was pregnant, even when he had told her that he was with his father. Sally Jackson was the most accepting person on this world. Had been. Even though every single one of those confessions would have probably freaked every other mother out, she always stayed calm. She needed her time to get used to it, yes, but she always did. She had helped him through his first three pregnancies and through every low he had in his relationship with his two lovers. But now that she was gone, who was there to consult him? To tell him how to deal with Poseidon's betrayal?

“Percy”, whispered a friendly and soft voice.

He stiffened for a second, mistaking the voice for his mother's. Tears gathered at his eyes at the thought. A warm hand rubbed his back, another one was running through his hair. Through tear-clouded eyes, red was all he saw. He blinked a few times to find focus again.

“Rachel...?”, murmured the Rain God hoarsely.

“I've been quite busy with the next great prophecy”, muttered the oracle softly. “And I'm sorry I couldn't help you through such hard times. But these days time seems to pass so fast... Nico and Annabeth talked to me, they said their god-children are worried about you. Percy, everyone is worried about you. You rarely talk to anyone anymore, not even to your children. I know you mourn your mother, but you... You have been just as good of a mother as Sally had been. Don't stop. Don't give up because you're sad. They love you – Ally, Aqua, Atti, Fabi, they adore you. They worship the paths you're walking, Percy. Don't hurt them by retreating yourself. You have no idea how much you hurt those who love you. Thalia, Piper, Annabeth, Nico, Leo, Grover, Chris, Clarisse, Chiron, me, we're your friends and we're worried about you. Tyson, Ella and Paul are worried about you too. And don't get me started on Triton and Poseidon. Have you noticed how wild the sea had been in the past three years? How many ships had found a tragic end because of how upset the Sea God is? He hates himself for hurting you, Percy. Because he loves you. More than anything. And I know that you love him just as much. Stop hurting yourself like that.”

His fingers were clawed into her orange camp shirt, his tears had long since soaked it. Perhaps she was right. He shouldn't be so selfish. His children, his family, his friends... Sally wouldn't want that to happen, she would want him to be happy.


	15. Loveable Morons and Moronic Love

7\. Loveable Morons and Moronic Love

 

“Grandpa, grandpa!”, called two cheerful voices.

Paul groaned slightly at the impact of the twins. Alana sat down on his left tight and Aquata took her place on his right tight, both clinging to him. He loved the twins, even though it saddened him how affectionate they were. Because he knew that they only acted this way because of their mother's retreat from them. He knew Percy didn't mean to hurt anyone, he knew Percy was only acting the way he did because he was hurt himself. And because the one person that always helped him through any kind of pain was now gone forever. He had barely seen his stepson since the funeral of Sally Blofis. And he couldn't quite blame the boy for it. Everything in this house reminded him of Sally. The difference was that Paul was grateful for every good memory he had been able to make with Sally while all Percy saw was the loss. All the future moments that were ripped away from him.

“Stay away from my daughter with your stupid ideas!”

The loud, annoyed voice of Clarisse interrupted Paul's depressing thoughts and redirected his attention back to his guests. A soft smile tugged at his lips as he took the gathering in.

At the table were Hazel, Rachel, Grover and Frank sitting together and drinking coffee, talking in low voices. Hazel had her daughter in her lap, the four-years old being quite the shy girl. Though Clarisse and Chris' youngest child, the lively, little Charisma, was eagerly trying to convince the slightly older girl to play with her. But Sammy rather stayed on her mother's lap. Right to the table were Piper and Annabeth kneeling and talking to Cally and Atti, the two girls gaping at them excitedly. And in front of them were Thalia and Clarisse, fighting with each other because the daughter of Ares disliked the notions the huntresses were planting in her oldest daughter's head. Her husband tried to hold her back and reason with her. Of course he liked the idea of his daughter joining an all-virgin girl's club, because then he would never have to encounter the troubles of boys. Left to the talking adults sat Leo and Nico with crossed legs, playing cards with the Rodriguez-son. Paul frowned slightly as he saw his only grandson standing in the shadows, watching them. Ever since Sally had died, Fabi had acted just like his mother. He had pulled away from everyone. Just like Percy. More so even, because his mother wasn't really there for him either. Percy often disappeared for weeks or sometimes even months to clear his head.

“How about you two play with Carry? She looks bored and Sammy ignores her”, whispered Paul softly and sat the twins down onto the floor.

They cheered and ran over to the youngest Rodriguez-child. The mortal groaned slightly as he stood up. He started to feel his age. He walked over to his grandson and knelt down in front of him.

“Hey, Fabi”, whispered Paul.

“Hey, grandpa”, mumbled the blonde boy slowly.

The twelve-years old looked ruffled, his blonde-blue hair standing up into all directions, his Aviator-jacket pulled close around himself as he glared past the mortal. Paul sighed sadly. Loosing Sally had hurt the boy, but the way his mother stayed away from everyone was hurting the child even more. And the fact that due to the fight between Poseidon and Percy, his biological father was now also not as close anymore as he used to be wasn't helping any either.

“Don't you want to play with Sander, Leo and Nico?”, asked the mortal lowly.

Sander. The boy used to go by the name of Chrys, but since his best friend also stayed away from him, Chrysander only reacted to being called Sander. He was mad at Fabius.

“No”, replied Fabius darkly.

“And do you want some cake?”, asked Paul next.

“No”, growled the blonde. “I'm not hungry.”

Paul sighed. He knew the only one able to coax Fabi out of his shell again was Percy. But for that, someone needed to coax Percy out of his own shell. Everything just because they had lost Sally...

“Paul, where are Tyson and Ella?”, asked Hazel curiously.

“They should return any time soon. They went out with Mrs. O'Leary”, answered Paul.

The harpy had been living with them for a long time now, but the cyclops had only moved in after Sally's death because he found it hard to live in the underwater palace anymore with the sad atmosphere. It was nice having Tyson and Ella around, they kept the house lively and homey. And that the rest of their little, colorful family came over every first Sunday of the month for coffee and cake was nice too. They kept him informed on their process in camp, on Olympus and on everything else. It reminded him of the good heart of his wife. She always had an open door and an open ear for the children and they all somehow came to see Paul and Sally as their surrogate parents. It felt good that they still came to him, even after Sally's death.

“Step-Paul, we're home!”, announced Tyson cheerfully.

Mrs. O'Leary came barking into the living room, soon surrounded by Ally, Aqua, Carry and even Sammy. The granddaughter of Pluto had a special connection to the beings of the underworld and loved being around the hell-hound. The four youngest children jumped around the big dog and patted her head and back. The harpy and the cyclops followed, both grinning cheerfully. Rachel chuckled at them and prepared two more plates with cake for them.

“Hello!”, grinned Tyson joyfully.

“Hi”, chorused the demi-gods, hunters and gods.

“Don't you want to talk to your uncle?”, sighed Paul at his end.

Fabi shook his head slowly and the mortal sighed again. It was hopeless. The ringing of the door-bell interrupted his musings on how he could make his grandson smile again.

“Do you expect someone else, Paul?”, asked Piper curiously.

“No... Perhaps the Jehova's Witnesses?”, chuckled the mortal amused and stood up.

“Oh, I love the Jehova's Witnesses”, snickered Clarisse. “I love telling them all about the gods.”

Paul laughed softly and opened the door. His laugh died down at the sea-green eyes that stared at him. He hadn't seen his stepson in five months now. He scarcely saw him at all anyway.

“P—Percy”, whispered the mortal surprised.

“Hello, Paul”, said the Rain God.

“What... are you doing here?”, asked Paul.

“I... I'm so sorry”, whispered Percy and averted his eyes. “I never meant to... I just...”

A sad smile graced Paul's lips and he wrapped his arms around his stepson, pulling him into a tight hug. “I know, Percy. I know you miss your mother, I miss her too...”

“I—I shouldn't have been so selfish”, cried the teen into his shoulder, wrapping his arms around his stepfather's neck. “I know you miss her too, but I couldn't... Whenever I looked at you, I thought of her and I... it hurts so much to think of her... I want my mommy back...”

“I know, Percy, I know”, murmured Paul, tightening his grip on the god.

It took a minute or two for the Sea Prince to calm down again and stop crying.

“I'm so sorry that I've been such a... bad son and friend and brother and... mother... I'm a complete failure... I disappointed everyone I love... Mom would... mom taught me better...”, whispered Percy guiltily, resting his forehead against his shoulder. “I would understand if they would never talk to me again... I failed them all...”

“Now you're too hard on yourself”, murmured Paul and shook his head. “They still love you and they understand that you've been through a lot. All they want is having you back in their lives.”

“Why should they?”, grunted the god doubtfully. “I've missed out so much of their lives now...”

“Come inside and let me convince you of the opposite”, smiled his stepfather softly.

Percy frowned and followed the mortal to the living room. His eyes widened as he took in who was siting in the living room. He had no idea what was going on, but he also had no time to think about it, because his youngest children jumped him.

“Mommy, mommy, you're back!”, screamed Ally happily.

“I missed you, mommy! You didn't say you would come back today, I'm so glad!”, giggled Aqua.

“I missed you too, my little angels”, whispered Percy, hugging them close. “I missed you too.”

“Jackson, I nearly forgot your face there”, grunted Clarisse with a dark glare.

Percy sat the twins back down and faces his friends with guilty eyes. “I know. And I'm sorry. I just... I don't want to loose you. I lost my mother, I don't... want to loose you too. If you can somehow forgive me... I know I don't deserve it, but... I'm so sorry...”

“Oh, seaweed brain”, smiled Annabeth softly and stood to hug him. “We love you, you moron. We're family. And we always will be family. You hear me?”

One by one his friends came up to him to hug him. Rachel smiled knowingly at him. She knew that after their last conversation, he had taken a couple of months to think everything through. And she was glad that he finally understood. She knew he had needed the time. Needed it to settle his own feelings and his inner torment. He had lost so much. The only one who didn't get up to hug him was Nico. The Ghost God sat on the floor and stared at the heap of cards in front of him.

“N... Nico...?”, whispered Percy worried and walked over to him. “Please... I'm sorry. I know it's not your fault. I know you couldn't do anything. I know I mistreated you. I know I was selfish...”

“And I understand”, murmured Nico, looking up at him. “If anyone could understand that, it's me. I've been angry at you too back then when Bianca had died. Even thought it wasn't your fault. Do you... think we're even now?”

The son of Hades chuckled darkly and tilted his head at the Sea Prince. Percy threw himself at the Ghost Prince and hugged the air out of him.

“We'll always be friends, Nico”, whispered Percy. “Thank you. Thank you for forgiving me. And... for taking care of Fabius while I was...”

“It's alright”, smiled the son of Hades. “It's alright...”

“Mom...?”, whispered a soft and fearful voice.

“Atti?”, smiled Percy and turned to his oldest child.

His smile died down as he saw her and her brother next to her, the twins behind them. The children had grown so much. His children had grown so much. He had missed so much. Spreading his arms out wide, he hugged them all close.

“I love you, my little angels”, murmured the son of Poseidon, kissing each their foreheads. “I love you so much and I know I haven't shown it to you the way I should have. I haven't been the mother to you that I should have been. I'm so sorry, my angels.”

“Are you staying now, Percy?”, whispered Fabius reluctantly.

“What was that?”, whispered Percy and flinched.

Had he really neglected his children that much? Much enough that his son – the one that had always seeked him the most – now called him by his first name? Had he failed that much...?

“Perhaps you should return home and spend some quality time with your children?”, suggested Paul softly. “You can come over whenever you want. And something tells me that now, you will also do that again, am I right, Percy?”

“Yeah”, smiled Percy and nodded. “I promise. And Clarisse, tell Chiron I will come over soon to reclaim my old job, alright?”

“Will do, seaweed brain”, snickered Clarisse proudly.

Percy grinned at his friends before he and his four children disappeared out of the living room. Percy grunted slightly as he found himself in the salty sea for the first time in half a year. He couldn't believe that he hadn't been home in such a long time. The twins started jumping up and down on their parents' bed right away while his older children stared at him expectantly.

“I know that I haven't been a good mother to you in the past three years...”, whispered Percy.

He paused for a second. They deserved the truth. Attina was thirteen now, Fabius twelve. There was no need to sugar-coat what had happened. He locked eyes with Attina and then with Fabius, flinching slightly at the betrayed look in those azure-blue eyes. Fabius had Sally's eyes. And for the first time in three years, it pained him to look at them out of a completely different way. He could see the disapproval Sally would have shown at his behavior. He got more comfortable and motioned for his children to do the same. Ally tilted her head curiously and placed herself in his lap. The green-skinned girl cuddled close to him and pulled her twin with her. The two were inseparable and after everything Percy had put them through, he was glad that they at least had each other. Looking at Atti and Fabi showed him a similar picture. But the two older children sat a bit farther off and glared at him expectantly, holding each other's hands in silent support.

“Life for me had always been different”, started Percy. “You had always known who and what you are. When I was small, when I was your age”, he tickled Ally's belly and made her giggle. “I had no idea what was wrong with me. I heard voices when I visited an aquarium, I was different. And I had no idea why. My mom, she didn't care. She always told me... that I'm special. Her special, little boy...”, he chuckled darkly and felt tears gathering in his eyes. “But... life was dangerous for a half-blood. Back then even more than today. She did everything to protect me. When I was four, she married this... horrible, horrible man. He was... mean... He... hurt your grandma... and me... I never understood why she stayed with him. Until I discovered what I was. I used to be angry at her for staying with him, for letting him hurt her and me. But then I learned that what she did, she did to protect me. To protect me from worse harm.”

“And how did you protect us?”, growled Fabi with a dark glare.

Percy lifted his gaze and stared at his son intensely. “You have your siblings, your father, your grandfathers, your aunts and uncles, your friends. When I was your age, Fabi, I had no one aside from my mother. She was all I had. She was my everything. My safe haven. And... she... she always was the one person I could count on. The one that always stood at my side and guided me through life. Loosing her... Loosing her was the worst I have ever been through... I... I know that I've been selfish and that I took your mother away from you, but I didn't know how to handle it. I... I'm only human. I know you liked to picture me as some kind of strong, invincible hero. But I'm not. I'm weak. My mom was the one who always was strong for me. And... for a long time, I didn't know how to be strong without her. I was... so sad and angry and I didn't want you to see me like this. I was a coward. I ran away from facing you. From explaining to you what had happened. I felt as if I had failed as a mother and the one person who used to tell me when I was wrong, wasn't there to guide me back to the right path. So I fled.”

“But... But why did you feel as if you failed us?”, whispered Atti confused. “Grandma's death wasn't your fault.”

“Grandma's death wasn't... But...”, Percy took a deep breath and closed his eyes briefly. “Back then I had been... I had been pregnant... I wasn't far, that's why your father and I haven't told you about it. And... the way I reacted to my mother's death caused me to loose the baby. Your little... sibling. I felt as if I failed as a mother. That I... selfishly put my own grief over my mother's death over the care for the baby. And... whenever I looked at you, all I could think is that I will fail you just as I failed him or her... That... That you would be better off without me... It... It hurt me to see you, because all I could think was that you could have a sibling if I would have been strong enough, that... that I was too weak to be a good mother for you... That I...”

“You were the best mom in the world!”, screamed Fabi, tears streaming down his face. “You were always there for me and then you suddenly weren't! That's the only thing that hurt! That you left! I love you, mommy, but you just left as if you didn't care about us anymore!”

He threw himself at his mother and wrapped his arms around Percy's neck, crying into his shoulder. Attina followed reluctantly, cuddling close to her siblings and her mother.

“I didn't know that you had a miscarriage, mom”, whispered the oldest child. “But... But... that doesn't mean that you failed as a mother. It wasn't your fault. We love you, mom...”

The oldest daughter of Triton let her tears run freely, clinging to her mother. Percy sobbed, his eyes closed tightly. A heavy weight fell from his heart as his children snuggled closer to him.

“We will always love you, mommy”, mumbled Fabi. “But please don't leave again...”

“Never”, promised Percy and shook his head. “I will never leave you again, my little angels.”

The five of them silently cried themselves to sleep in the bed, the children cuddled close to their mother in the middle. None of them noticed the two-tailed merman watching them from the doorway.

“Oh, Perseus”, whispered Triton and shook his head slowly.

He had been wondering why his consort avoided them all so much. He wouldn't have thought that Percy truly blamed himself for loosing the baby though. That Percy truly thought he had failed as mother and wife. The merman swam up to them and cradled the twins in his arms to carry them over to their bedroom. They shared what once was Attina's room. They could have had separated rooms – there were two rooms connected to the master-bedroom after all. But they cried at the mere suggestion of being apart like that. He smiled softly down at his youngest children and brought them to their bunk-bed, placing both of them in the upper bed. They had gotten the girls a bunk-bed so they could be closer. But the lower bed was only used for their dolls and teddies. They refused to sleep in separate beds. Tugging the two girls in, he placed kisses on their foreheads and then turned to leave their bedroom again. He closed the door silently and swam up to the remaining three members of his family cuddling on the bed.

“Attina”, whispered Triton, running his fingers through her black hair.

“Dad?”, yawned the girl and blinked at him. “Dad! Mom is back!”

“I can see that, but don't talk so loud”, whispered the merman amused. “You look tired. You should go to your bed, Attina. And try convincing your brother to do the same.”

She nodded hastily and shook Fabius next to her. The blonde grunted irritated before he blinked to glare at his older sister. She rolled her eyes at him and pointed at their sleeping mother.

“We should let him rest after everything”, whispered the girl. “Come on. We could watch some _Werewolf Diaries_ together in my room.”

“Oh please”, grunted Fabi softly and stood up. “You just want to drool over Ramon.”

His sister giggled in guilt and the two swam out of their parents' bedroom. Triton chuckled amused and closed the door behind them before swimming back up to his bed. For a moment, he just hovered above Percy, marveling at his beauty. How much he had missed his beloved consort.

“Never do that to me again, Perseus”, growled Triton and laid down behind the eternal teen, wrapping his arms around the younger god to pull him close.

“I—I'm sorry, Triton”, mumbled a sleepy voice.

“Don't be sorry”, warned the two-tailed merman. “Not for that. Not for loosing the child. It was not your fault, Perseus. It was not your fault.”

Percy blinked, as if he had been caught. “But... How...”

“How do I know why you're feeling so guilty?”, grunted his husband. “I heard you.”

“You're been eavesdropping”, mumbled the Rain God and blushed slightly.

“Yes. And I'm glad I did”, snorted the older son of Poseidon. “You adorable, stupid, little moron. It was not your fault. And you didn't fail me by loosing the child, Perseus. You know what the only thing was that was on my mind when Apollo led me to you? Not that I lost a child, but only that I didn't loose you. I could have lost you. And that would have broken me. This baby... it was ours, yes, and it would have been just as much my sunshine as Attina, Fabius, Alana and Aquata are, but it was not meant to be. It left us before it even really joined our family. I know that it's soul will be returned to us, in another life. But you, I couldn't loose you. Not you, Perseus.”

Percy closed his eyes and smiled softly, snuggling closer against the broad chest of his husband, enjoying his warmth, his strong arms around his waist.

“I'm sorry I left you alone with the children for such a long time... I wish I would have realized my mistake sooner... I love you, Triton...”, whispered the Sea Prince and turned his head so he could kiss his husband softly.

“I love you too, Perseus. And I always will”, murmured the merman, wrapping his tails possessively around his consort's legs. “And I know. I know that you needed the time to heal.”

“Yeah... I... guess I did”, nodded Percy slowly and bit his lips.

“Since you obviously collected our children, I assume you also talked to your stepfather and your friends”, whispered Triton curiously.

“Yes. I... I don't know why, but they forgave me for being a terrible friend”, chuckled Percy darkly and shook his head. “Even Nico did.”

“Stupid”, muttered the merman. “Of course they forgave you. It is what family does, after all. Regardless of what lays behind, family always stays strong and holds together.”

“Yeah... Family...”, nodded the younger god slowly.

“Do you... wish to talk to father too?”, asked Triton reluctantly.

He had not even dared to mention their father in the past three years. It was a touchy subject. The touchiest subject to choose around Percy, to be more precisely.

“I... don't wish to, but I have to”, sighed Percy and sat up some. “Would you mind... coming with me, love?”

“Of course not, Perseus”, smiled the merman and wanted to get up.

“Not... not right away”, mumbled the eternal teen and shook his head. “Can we stay here for a little while longer and just... be together...?”

“As if I would object to that”, snorted Triton and tightened his grip around his consort's waist.

“Tell me, where have you been while you were away?”, murmured Triton worried. “Where did you stay? What did you do?”

“I've been to Tibet for a while. Meditating. Half a year, or something like that”, whispered Percy. “I stayed some time with monks in China. In Thailand. With priests in Italy, a sect in California, even an old Nordic cult in Sweden. I don't know, but... being a god made me question who to pray to. Who do you blame for the evils of the world if you're a god? I tried practically every religion available at least for a short time.”

“And last?”, pressed the merman. “Where did you stay last? What changed your mind? Who do I have to thank for returning you to my side, love?”

“Rachel, she tried to talk sense into my thick head a couple of months ago”, whispered Percy. “And then I left. Because I didn't want to face it. Didn't want to face the consequences of my behavior.”

“But where to? Where have you been that it changed your mind?”, wanted Triton to know.

The son of Poseidon turned slowly to face his husband before thinking slowly.

“A camp for half-bloods in Europe. Did you know that there are camps on all continents? I first noticed while I was in Japan. There is one near Tokyo, a Greek one. After I left Italy, I searched for the European camps. I found the Roman camp in Germany. _Das olympische Lager_. And unlike our camps, those camps are led by minor gods. The European Roman camp is led by Enyo, for example. She accepted me grudgingly amidst her warriors. I... I think the thing that did convince me to return home was that little girl, a daughter of Apollo. Sedanur Aykan. Though everyone called her Danny. She was adorable and... she reminded me so much of Atti... It made my heart ache for home. And... I'm glad I'm back.”

“So am I, believe me, so am I”, murmured Triton and kissed his consort softly.

“But it felt good. I mean, it was good to teach again, to guide again. To train again”, smiled the former hero. “And it was good to have a bit of a distance to home. I... wouldn't have been ready to teach at Camp Half-Blood just then.”

“I understand that”, nodded his older brother, combing his finger through his lover's hair.

“We... should go now”, breathed Percy against his husband's lips.

“If you wish to”, smiled the merman and stood up.

He took his consort's hand and the two of them left the bedchamber together. Percy blinked slowly. He actually had no idea where their father's new bedroom was located. Heh. New. Three years. Time was an odd thing when you were immortal. Though instead of the direction of the bedrooms, Triton guided him to the great hall, the throne room. Percy frowned until he remembered that it had barely been mid-day when he had arrived at his parents' house. His sense of time was still a bit disturbed from the past few months in Europe.

“Did he...”, started Percy, not sure how the sentence was supposed to end.

“He misses you”, nodded Triton, knowing what was on his consort's mind. “More than you may think now. He feels incredibly guilty for what he did, Perseus. Do you... forgive him?”

“No”, replied the former demi-god firmly.

Surprised, sea-green eyes were turned on him and Triton raised an eyebrow at that. “No?”

“No”, muttered Percy and shook his head. “He used me and betrayed my trust I want to talk to him, but it will take time until _we_ are back to normal.”

“That is... only fair”, nodded Triton slowly.

They entered the throne room to find their father engaging in a rather heated discussion with his former wife. Triton blinked surprised. He hadn't even known that his mother planned to visit, much less that she was here. How... inconvenient.

“Mother”, exclaimed Triton loudly to catch his parents' attention.

“Triton!”, said Amphitrite and stared at him. “I... Your father and I are busy. If you would mind to leave, my boy?”

“No, Amphitrite”, growled the Sea God annoyed and massaged his temples. “We have nothing to discuss. So I would appreciate it if you would leave now...”

“Listen to me”, growled his former wife back, glaring dangerously at him. “I don't know what that little slut did to you, but he twisted your mind. You're not a good ruler anymore. What you cause your sea to go through is not right. You never did such things with me at your side!”

“That is because I never harbored such deep feelings for you”, spat Poseidon annoyed. “And if you won't refrain from insulting Percy, I will banish you from my waters, woman!”

Triton craned his neck to look at his consort, who hid behind him to not get dragged into the middle of this quarrel. Percy bit his lips nervously.

“Mother, you should leave”, advised Triton.

“You're one to talk, boy”, snarled the former queen of the ocean annoyed. “He dumped you just as much as he dumped your father! But he left you with four children. I told you from the beginning that this filthy half-blood would be no good! And I was right!”

“Enough!”, boomed Poseidon in his most godly voice. “You will not speak another bad word about Percy! OUT!”

The goddess stared wide-eyed at her former husband before she fled the throne room. Percy blinked after her and blushed slightly. His father still defended him. Even after Percy had thrown him out of his life like that. Perhaps Poseidon's feelings for him truly ran deeper than he had thought. The gods who never care, who only take their lovers for a short time-span before loosing interest in them.

“Father”, started Triton.

“What is it?”, groaned Poseidon exhausted and massaged his temples. “If you didn't notice, I'm having quite the bad day. I would appreciate it to sulk in silence now.”

“Very well, I can also return tomorrow to talk to you”, said Percy and nodded shortly.

Poseidon's head snapped up and he stared at his two sons before he focused solemnly on the former demi-god. His eyes were wide in disbelieve as he stared at the eternal teen.

“P—Percy”, stuttered the Sea God, afraid it might only be a daydream, afraid the boy may vanish if he dared to blink now. “Are you... real...?”

“Yes, dad”, chuckled Percy softly. “I'm real. And I came to talk to you.”

The Rain God swam up to the throne to stand in front of his father. Poseidon didn't dare to reach out and touch the teen, he didn't want to anger the young god, didn't want to scare him off. Not now. Not now that Percy finally came to him, finally talked to him again.

“Yes? Of course I have time for you, Percy. What... Whatever you want...”

He knew he should feel pathetic for the way he was willing to crawl on the floor for the boy. But he didn't. Because he deserved the boy's anger and hatred for what he did.

“I return to the palace”, said the son of Sally Jackson. “And to my life. This life, however, also includes you. And we still have something to clear.”

“Yes?”, asked Poseidon slowly, wanting to keep the boy talking.

He had missed this soft voice so much. Those eyes. This body. How much he had missed Percy.

“I don't forgive you”, the words cut right through Poseidon's heart. “Not yet, at least. But we are living an eternal life. And I still love you”, never before had the Sea God felt so dizzy. “But I don't know how to trust you any longer. You need to earn my trust back first. I'm willing to give you a second chance. You better use it right. And if you ever try to manipulate me like that again, I will take my children and my husband and never return to this palace again. You will neither see me nor your grandchildren or our son again. Am I clear?”

“Yes, Percy. Everything you say”, nodded Poseidon hastily. “I promise, I will never betray your trust in me again. And I'm so sorry for what I did. I never meant to deceive you. I just... wanted you so much. And I'm sorry for the path I chose to get what I wanted.”

Percy's eyes were calculating and cold as he looked the older god up and down, as if he was decided how much truth was in his words. It seemed Poseidon truly had to earn his place in Percy's heart back now. Though then the teen extended a hand for him to take.

“Then come”, murmured the Rain God.

“Where?”, asked his father slowly and stood.

“I'm tired. I want a nap”, yawned the younger god, Triton at one hand, Poseidon at his other. “And I missed you. So you will come with me.”

“As you wish”, chuckled Triton amused.

Poseidon's heart was racing. He had missed his beloved Sea Prince so much. But now having him back was the best thing he could imagine. Never would he have thought that a single being could hold such power over him. But once they entered the master bedroom and Percy snuggled into the bed between his two lovers, Poseidon knew that Percy had complete control over him.

“I love you, Percy”, whispered the Sea God and kissed the rosy lips softly.

The eternal teen though was already deep asleep.

 

/break\

 

Nico popped his neck irritated, watching how the three children of Clarisse and Chris ran off towards the lake, the youngest leading the way while Sander and Cally pretended to not be giddy about their return to camp because they were in that age where everything they once liked seemed uncool now. The Ghost God grunted and turned to their parents.

“You guys going to be alright?”, asked Nico.

“I can't wait to tell Chiron”, smirked Clarisse. “Have you seen how much Cally's and Sander's eyes sparkled at the prospect of having Percy as their trainer again? They adore him.”

“Everyone who meets him adores him”, chuckled the satyr amused.

He and Rachel stood next to the married couple, the red-head tilting his head curiously at Nico. “What about you?”

“I don't know”, shrugged the god slowly. “I'm glad to have Percy back in my life... Anyway, I should get going. Leo will return from Camp Jupiter soon and get everything ready for the party.”

“Party?”, grunted Chris intrigued.

“With the muses”, smirked Nico. “They throw the best parties. So I should get going.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever, ghost brat”, chuckled Clarisse and shook her head.

She hugged him briefly before turning and entering the big house. Her husband followed her while the oracle and the satyr headed off to the woods, one to meet his girlfriend, the other to go back to her cave. Nico chuckled lightly and turned. But the moment he wanted to teleport to Olympus, he caught a climbs of silvery-white and golden-blonde. A broad smile spread over his lips and he hurried over to the woods.

“Annie!”, called Nico as he caught up with the huntress. “What are you doing here? I thought Thalia, Piper and you already left...”

“I... don't know”, shrugged Annabeth. “I just wanted to say good-bye properly, I guess.”

“Oh”, nodded the son of Hades.

The two of them started walking through the woods to a little clearing.

“So... Leo brought your sister, Frank and Sammy home?”, asked the blonde.

“Yeah”, nodded Nico slowly.

“Did you... notice something about the weather?”, asked Annabeth next and turned to the sky, smiling softly at the clear patch of blue.

“It finally stopped raining”, chuckled the Ghost God, watching how a flock of geese flew past their heads. “It seems Percy finally calmed down.”

“Yeah”, nodded the huntress. “I'm... glad he is back. I mean, we did keep a close eye on him on his little journey around the world, but... I've still been pretty worried about him.”

“I'm glad he forgave me”, whispered Nico with a sad smile.

“I told you”, chuckled Annabeth and bumped shoulders with him.

“Don't be a smart-ass”, grunted the god and rolled his eyes.

“Daughter of Athena. We like have a patent on being smart-asses”, grinned the blonde.

“Yeah, right”, snorted Nico and turned to hit her lightly upside the head.

She dodged him. “Did you just try to out-smart me? You have a long way to go to beat me, boy.”

“Well then, bring it on, moon chaser”, snickered the Ghost God and faced her.

She smirked at him and placed a hit on his upper arm, while he used the opportunity to turn and swing at her side. She blocked his attack with one arm and turned swiftly around to elbow him into the ribs. He grunted at the impact, she snickered.

“Don't get cocky, wise girl”, grunted Nico in a warning voice, catching her arm.

She yelped and tried to free herself. Though when she noticed that he was stronger, she used his tight grip to her advantage and whirled them around so Nico's back was hitting a tree. He grunted hard as the air left his lungs. But he was far from out, pushing himself off the tree to attack her again. Annabeth tried to dodge him and kicked his legs to make him fall, but the god caught her ankle and she lost her balance in surprise, pulling him with her in her fall and twisting his arm so he landed face-first in the dirt. She smirked victoriously as she sat on his lower back.

“Told you”, whispered the huntress into his ear.

Before she could register what was happening, the god had them rolled over and was resting above her, with his arms on either side of her head, smirking broadly. He leaned down some.

“And I told you to not get cocky”, whispered Nico, only millimeters between their lips.

“I—I should go”, muttered Annabeth and blushed before pushing him off and running off herself.


	16. VIII. Interlude: High Five

VIII. Interlude: High Five

 

Percy sighed, shifting the weight of the twins on his arms. Though they soon freed themselves from his grasp anyway and ran off towards Cabin Three. The Rain God shook his head and turned some to look at his older children standing behind him.

“Seaweed brain! Just in time”, chuckled Clarisse as she walked up to him. “It's good to have you back here. The gods seem so busy reproducing, Chiron, Chris and I barely have a free minute between the lessons! We can use your extra hands.”

“Aunt Clarisse?”, piped Attina in. “Where is Cally?”

“It's nice to see you too”, grunted the daughter of Ares and rolled her eyes. “Teenagers. The death of me. Cally and Sander are in the woods with Annabeth and Nico...”

“Annabeth... and Nico?”, hummed Percy curiously and tilted his head. “Did I miss something?”

“Oh, you have no idea”, chuckled Clarisse.

Though the rest of their conversation didn't interest Attina much. She grabbed her brother's hand and pulled him with her against his will. She frowned slightly. Even though their mom was back and in the past months there was not a sign he may leave again, Fabi still was reluctant and silent. Though since this was their first summer together in a while, she was determined to change this.

“Aunt Annabeth!”, screamed the sea-green eyed girl and ran right up to the blonde huntress.

The daughter of Athena was blushing slightly as she and Nico brought some distance between each other to greet their godchildren. Cally next to Annabeth grinned broadly as she saw her best friend. Dark eyes trailed over to her brother, who now sneaked away from them. He tried to stay away from Fabius because it frustrated him too much that the son of Percy wasn't talking to him anymore.

“Your brother better goes and finally apologizes to mine”, hissed Cally into Atti's ear.

Both girls turned to glare at the son of Poseidon. It took Fabi a minute and a hard push from Nico to realize what everyone wanted from him. He grunted annoyed and followed Chrysander slowly. It didn't take long for him to catch up with the other boy. The brunette sat at the shore of the lake.

“Hey”, mumbled Fabi, his hands deep in the pockets of his Aviator jacket.

The other blinked surprised and looked up at the blonde, nodding in acknowledgment. Fabius sat down next to him reluctantly, both staring at the lake for what felt like eternity.

“I'm sorry”, whispered the son of Poseidon lowly, his head hung low, eyes hid behind blonde bangs.

He felt someone push his hair back behind his ear and nudge his shoulder. Blinking a few times, he looked up into mischievous brown eyes. A slight blush graced his cheeks and he bit his lips.

“No hard feelings, Fabs”, chuckled Sander lightly. “I mean, your ma left you hanging there. I would have been bitchy too if mom would have been away. But don't tell Cally.”

“I won't tell, promise”, grinned Fabius. “And you're really not mad...?”

“You know it's pretty hard to stay mad at you, Fabs”, grunted the grandson of Hermes and rolled his eyes irritated. “You have that whole wounded-puppy-dog-eyes coupled with that pout, which you can pull off really good with those girly lips of yours.”

“My lips are not girly!”, yelped the blonde wide-eyed.

“They so are!”, disagreed the brunette. “I mean, they are all rosy and plumb and stuff. Like a girl's.”

“Asshole”, muttered Fabius and blushed slightly. “Why do I even _want_ to be your friend...?”

“Because I'm irresistible”, shrugged Sander smugly and lifted his hand. “And because we're best friends forever. Someone got to side against the evil witches.”

“United against the girls”, grinned Fabi and high-fived his best friend.

They stayed silent for a while, watching the sunset, Fabius leaning against his best friend's shoulder.

“So... What are we going to do this summer?”, asked the son of Poseidon casually.

“The same as every summer”, smirked Sander. “We beat the girls at Capture the Flag!”


	17. Returning to Normal Takings and Taking Normal Turns

8\. Returning to Normal Takings and Taking Normal Turns

 

“Oh, fuck”, moaned Percy hoarsely.

Triton smirked down at the former demi-god, nibbling the sensitive neck of the eternal teen.

“Two months of summer would be way too long”, growled the older god, thrusting harder.

His consort beneath him whimpered in agreement and spread his legs some more. The Sea Prince was tied to the headboard of the big, blue four-poster bed, trying to tug on his bounds.

“Please, Triton”, mewed the Rain God. “Please let me come, I need it, please...”

“As if I could deny you, my love”, murmured Triton affectionately. “Besides, I do need to let you sleep for at least a few hours too...”

He wasn't quite willing to finish this just yet, he would have loved to fuck Percy for another hour or two. Or more. He could never get enough of his beautiful consort. But since it was summer and Percy was supposed to train the Ares-cabin and the Apollo-cabin in the morning, they needed to get finished so his Sea Prince wouldn't be walking around half-dead tomorrow. Giving it a few last, well-placed thrusts and jerks, he made his lover come into his hand, moaning hoarsely. Triton sealed the rosy lips with his own as he came deep within the younger god. They were trying to make another child. After months of being back, of being reassured that he hadn't failed, not as mother and not as Triton's consort, Percy had finally come to him, taking about having another child. It had overwhelmed the older son of Poseidon with pure happiness. So now they were using every free minute to have sex (well, not that they hadn't been doing that before too). Triton grunted pleased as he pulled out and kissed his lover once more.

“I love you, Perseus”, whispered the green-skinned man, caressing the younger one's cheeks.

“I love you too”, grinned Percy up. “And now I need to sneak back into the Big House before someone notices I was gone. This is worse than being a camper and sneaking out of the cabin...”

He giggled childishly and his husband snorted. They both knew that Percy enjoyed the thrill of sneaking out to make out with Triton. It made him feel like a teenager again.

“Behave, love”, grinned the older god as his lover got dressed again.

“You too. And greet father and Ty from me”, smiled the son of Sally Jackson before leaving.

 

/break\

 

Sander yawned tiredly. Somehow he couldn't sleep. And that bothered him. Even though he should sleep like a baby. It was the first night of camp this summer. Not that it mattered much to him since he was a year-rounder anyway, but the Jackson-kids had returned this summer too. Sure, uncle Percy had brought them last summer after everything had been cleared too, but still a nagging voice in the back of Sander's mind had whispered that this wouldn't mean he would get to see the Jacksons every summer again, as it used to be. He was glad this voice had been mistaken.

They had come. Uncle Percy, Atti, Fabi, Ally and Aqua. And the four children of Perseus had happily moved into Cabin Three again, which was solemnly used by them anyway.

“If you don't stop turning, I will kick your ass”, growled a tired voice from beneath.

Sander rolled his eyes and took a look at the bunk beneath him where his twin was glaring up at him. Most of the time he loved that they lived at camp – he loved being constantly around the pegasi, demi-gods and nymphs – but living in the Big House with his parents, his sisters, Chiron and auntie Rachel left them with not very much room at all. Especially when Percy was staying at the Big House for his summer job too. He turned some to look over at the bed on the other end of the rather big bed room where their younger sister was peacefully asleep.

“If you're so antsy, get out and take a walk”, muttered Cally. “I for my part want to sleep.”

The brunette rolled his eyes at her. But she wasn't mistaken. Perhaps a bit fresh air would help him ease his mind. Jumping off the bunk-bed, he grabbed his jeans and camp-shirt from the day before, hastily got dressed and sneaked out of their bedroom. He really had no idea why he couldn't sleep. Sneaking through the dark halls of the Big House, he could hear Chiron snoring at one end of the hall and his father at the other. Being a grandson of Hermes came in handy at times like these, it made getting out so much easier. Though he froze when he heard uncle Percy's door creak. Turning some, he wanted to see if Percy had woken up because of him. But he saw no one. Odd. Frowning slightly at that, he continued his way out of the house. The night was chilly, even though is was summer. Now he was even more glad that he got dressed (he had once taken a walk in his pajama but the nymphs had laughed at him for a whole week after that...). Frowning slightly, he thought about a place to go. The woods were dangerous at night. The cabins were too loud. The lake. He always loved going to the lake. During the time the Jacksons had stayed away from camp, he kept visiting the lake. The deep azure blue of it always reminded him of Fabi's eyes and made him feel as if his best friend was still around. And now that Fabius and Attina were back, it was even more fun to go to the beach. The four of them just belonged together. Fabi, Atti, Cally and him. That was not up to discussion and everyone at camp knew it. His current of thoughts was suddenly interrupted as he saw a lone figure standing at he shore of the lake. Nearly no camper was bolt enough to sneak out of the cabins at night. Frowning confused, he slowly walked up to the other. The chilly night air rustled the leaves of the nearby trees and the blonde hair of the boy in front of him.

“Why are you still awake, Fabs?”, grunted Sander worried.

The son of Perseus jumped in surprise, he had obviously not been aware that he was being watched. The blonde turned to look at his best friend and smiled slightly, even though it was strained.

“I couldn't sleep”, shrugged Fabius and turned back to look at the lake.

“Really?”, snorted Sander. “Hard to believe since you're like a freaking stone once you hit a flat surface face-first. So what kept you awake, Fabs?”

“Just... a bad dream”, mumbled the merboy and bit his lips.

Clarisse's son frowned. He knew bad dreams, for a while now. Most of the times, they involved some kind of quest. But that was because he had the legacy of two gods, he had those dreams like demi-gods did (or so his parents had told him). But Fabius was a god. A full god (a fact Sander was painfully aware of sometimes). He certainly didn't have such dreams, did he?

“What was it about?”, asked the brunette curiously.

He ran one hand through his short, dirty-brown hair and stared at the smaller boy questioningly. Fabi tilted his head up and looked right back at him, biting his lips uncertain. A habit the blonde had developed over the years they had not really talked. Or so Sander had noted last summer.

“Just... the night”, shrugged Fabius after a while and sighed. “Always the darkness of the night. But... a dead night. I don't know how to explain it, it always feels... dead. Not like now. See? You can hear the whistling of the wind through the trees, the giggling of the nymphs, the snoring of campers, the movement of the water. But in those dreams, it's like... nothing is alive. It frightens me. And then there is this woman...”

“What woman?”, asked Sander in a hushed voice and stepped some closer.

That dream sounded concerning and he really didn't like it a bit. Especially not since it seemed to frighten his best friend. Fabius bit his lips again and wrapped his arms around his torso.

“She's... odd”, whispered the blonde slowly. “Like, really beautiful. At least as beautiful as auntie Aphy – but don't tell her. She's... it's hard to describe. She's dark and mysterious and very beautiful. With long, flowing black hair and I swear, her eyes are black too... But she never talks...”

“Well, what else is she doing then?”, grunted Sander annoyed.

He had never heard Fabi talk about anyone like that. Somehow he always thought his best friend was just too innocent to think that way about anyone. To find someone attractive.

“She just stands there”, shrugged the blonde. “She stands there and beckons me over to her.”

“And you follow her?”, wanted the grandson of Ares to know.

“No”, snorted Fabi and glared up at the older boy. “I'm not stupid. Just because she's pretty doesn't mean I follow her like that. But... she keeps coming back, every dream. And I feel like her patience is wearing down, I don't know... She unsettles me...”

“How long are you having that dream now?”, frowned Sander.

“A couple of years now”, shrugged the young god. “It started shortly after mom had left. But they became more frequent with the time that passed.”

“And have you told anyone about them? I mean, your mom or your dad or your grandpa.”

“I didn't want to worry dad since he was busy enough raising four kids without mom and grandpa had... well, after mom had left, he kind of spend less and less time with us too... And mom was away”, mumbled Fabius and cast his eyes down. “Now that mom is back, I just... don't want to frighten him off again...”

“Uncle Percy won't leave you again, stupid”, snorted the brunette and wrapped one arm around the younger boy's shoulder, pulling him close. “He promised it after all.”

“Yeah, I... guess you're right”, muttered Fabi and leaned against his best friend.

Sander was still frowning though. Something about that dream disturbed him. If it was a regular dream, then why should it return so often? He made a mental note to talk to Atti and Cally about it. The girls always knew what to do. For now, he needed to get his best friend off the sad side again.

“Come on, let's take a swim”, grinned Sander mischievously.

He gripped his shirt and pulled it over his head before also getting rid of his jeans. The facial color of the other boy got darker and darker and Sander rolled his eyes at him, Fabi could be so cute.

“You're insane”, muttered the blonde before he slowly undressed too.

Until both boys were only standing in their boxer-shorts and the brunette had to hold back his laughter, pointing at the bright, blue boxer-shorts with little yellow-blue flounders on it.

“Are those... The Little Mermaid... boxer-shorts? Seriously?”, laughed the brunette.

“He's my namesake, after all! And mom bought them for me!”, hissed Fabius and blushed brightly.

“Sometimes you're just too cute to be true, Fabs”, grinned Sander and ruffled Fabi's hair.

“I told you I'm not cute!”, pouted the blonde and crossed his arms over his chest.

“That is so not helping your case”, snorted the brunette. “I told you you have that adorable pout.”

“No! And I also don't have girly lips! You're such a meany, San!”, exclaimed Fabius.

Sander put a finger on the soft, rosy lips and raised one eyebrow. “Sure you don't.”

“Idiot”, mumbled the blonde and turned to run into the lake.

The brunette laughed softly as he tried to follow his best friend. Though when it came to water, a child of the sea was not to be beaten. Then suddenly the blonde head disappeared beneath the surface and Sander frowned. He hated when Fabi did that. A second later, he hit the water face-first himself. Trying to catch his breath, he fought his way to the surface again and glared at the merboy behind him. Fabius was snickering and sticking his tongue out at him.

“Serves you right for being an idiot”, declared the blonde and splashed water at him with his tail.

Sander blinked a few times. It was odd, but he always had that flattery feeling in his chest when he saw his best friend in his real form. The long, sleek yellow tail with the striped blue fin. Sander guessed it was just a merman/mermaid-thing, like with the tale of Loreley and stuff about mermaids seducing sailors, but Fabi looked seriously beautiful like that.

“You're cheating”, grunted Sander, pushing that other thought away again.

“Don't be like that”, grinned the blonde and grabbed his hand.

The grandson of Hermes blinked confused for a second before he was pulled into the depth of the water. Others would have been frightened at the prospect of being pulled deeper and deeper into the cold water of the lake, but Sander knew he was safe as long as Fabi was with him. The merboy had an air-bubble stabilized around the human, tugging him along. Sander was too busy marveling at the graceful movement of Fabi's body to really see where they were going.

“You having a destination or do you just want to brag with your abilities?”, asked Sander after a while of watching the up and down of the long, yellow tail in fascination.

“Well duh, dumbo”, grinned Fabi. “There is something I need to show you!”

The brunette chuckled at the enthusiasm of his best friend and obediently let himself be dragged along. They passed some rather pretty fishes and nymphs on their way until they seemingly reached wherever Fabi had wanted to go. They entered a very tiny cave and surfaced within it. It was filled with air and the stony floor was even enough to walk on it. Sander blinked surprised. His surprise doubled as he saw the beautiful, big, blue four-poster bed in the middle of the cave.

“What in the world is this”, muttered the brunette confused.

“It's my parents'”, grinned the merboy and jumped up onto the stony floor too.

Fabi sat at the edge of it, his tail whipping up and down in the shallow water as he grinned broadly.

“Seriously?”, grunted Sander surprised at that.

“Yeah. I guess now that mom is back, dad hates him leaving even more than before”, shrugged the blonde and transformed his tail back to his legs. “I think it's cute that he got this cave so he could cuddle with mom even though mom is here for the summer.”

While Fabius stretched his legs, Sander watched him with an 'are you kidding me?'-expression.

“Sure. Your dad got all of this for... cuddling?”, snorted the brunette and raised one eyebrow.

“Yeah”, nodded Fabi and sat down on the bed, stretching his legs out while staring up at Sander with an innocently tilted head. “Why else? Mom already got a bed for sleeping.”

Sander balled a fist to keep himself from face-palming. If anyone else would have said that to him, he would have accused them of messing with him. But with Fabi...

“You have no clue about sex, do you?”, asked the brunette slowly.

Fabius tilted his head some more and frowned before shaking it. “What?”

“That... doesn't matter”, mumbled Sander, not feeling like giving his best friend The Talk. “Anyway, it's a very beautiful place. What are we doing now?”

It truly was a beautiful place. The walls were shining like pearls, corals were decorating the entrance of the cave, the bed even though a human item still craved in ways that made it look like a part of the sea, decorated with shells and sea-stars and pearls. The blue sheets looked like waves themselves, like the smooth surface of the sea.

“We could sleep here tonight”, shrugged Fabi slowly and blushed. “I mean, if you don't mind...”

“You're still a little kid”, muttered Sander affectionately and shook his head.

Back when they were smaller, Fabi had often sneaked out of Cabin Three and into the Big House to sleep in Sander's bed, whenever he had a bad dream. But then their visits at camp had stopped and last year had been kind of awkward anyway. It was like finding back to their old habits.

“I'm not a little kid”, complained the blonde with a glare. “I'm fourteen. I'm a teenager. I'm a prince. I'm a god. So be nice to me, stupid mortal!”

Sander doubled over in laughter at that. It was really hard to take the godly prince serious while he was pouting and only dressed in his Little Mermaid boxer-shorts. Even though the 'stupid mortal' was well aware of the difference between them. He wasn't even a demi-god. And if not for the changes at camp that children with a legacy could go there too, he wouldn't even be there. But Fabius, he was a merboy, not any merboy but the prince of the merfolk. Sure, Poseidon was the ruler over the seas, but Triton was the ruler over the mermaids and mermen. Fabius was a prince. And a god. It was really hard to count how many social barriers laid between them. And in the time Fabius had not been to camp and barely talked with anyone, Sander had feared that those barriers were too many and that the blonde had finally noticed them. That Fabius had realized that he could do better. Sure, Sander was closer to the gods than most demi-gods were too, but that was mostly due to Fabius and his family. While Fabs... His godfathers were the Fire God and the Ghost God, he spend his spring break in the underworld with his 'uncle Hades' and 'auntie Phone'. He got trained by Ares and had learned how to smite his own swords from Hephaestus. Most of his clothes, if not chosen and bought by his mother, were gifts from Lady Aphrodite, who simply adored the boy. And if Fabi wanted to go somewhere, he always got a ride in the freaking sun chariot. The boy could have anything, like every other god too. Sometimes Sander wondered why the prince bothered to be friends with a mere mortal like him anyway. Just because their mothers were friends?

“What's eating you up? You have that whole Nico-thing going on”, interrupted Fabi's voice his thoughts. “You know, that gloomy, dark and moody look. What's wrong, San?”

Sander blinked a few times. So perhaps Fabs hadn't been the only one tormented with depressing thoughts in those past four years. He sighed heavily and sat down next to the blonde.

“Why are we friends, Fabius?”, whispered the brunette slowly.

“What... kind of question is that?”, asked the young prince confused, folding his legs beneath himself and tilting his head confused. “If this is because of that time mom was away, you know that had nothing to do with you! I've just been... angry and stupid, I guess... Dad says I'm like mom when it comes to stuff like that. But I've not been avoiding you because of yourself! I like you.”

“I know. But what I mean is, why?”, groaned Sander slightly frustrated. “You are right. You're a prince and a god. And what am I? I just... I wonder if you ever grow tired of me. You can roam the sea freely, I would get smashed at the sheer pressure down there. You just go up to Olympus if you feel like it. You can talk to fishes and horses like a freaking Disney-princess...”

“Okay. Call me Disney-princess one more time and I'll show you talking fishes”, grunted Fabi irritated. “And don't talk like that. It's stupid. I like the gods, sure. But they are so... old. I mean, really old. Not just parent-old, they are thousands of years old. They're family... Well, technically we are family too since your grandfathers are the sons of my grandfather's brother... Okay, too complicated to think about. Either way, that doesn't matter. I don't really understand the question so I find it really hard to formulate an answer... You're my best friend because you are. And you will always be my best friend. Simple as that, right?”

The blonde yawned and rubbed his eyes while Sander still wasn't quite satisfied with the answer.

“I... guess”, muttered the brunette.

“Can't we just sleep now and discuss the philosophic stuff tomorrow?”, yawned Fabius.

“Okay”, sighed Sander reluctantly.

The son of Perseus laid down on the bed, pulling the brunette with him until he was able to rest his head on the broad chest of the mortal, closing his eyes tiredly. Sander smiled sadly down at the blonde before wrapping his arms around his best friend's waist to pull him closer. Their sisters had always teased them that Fabi was like Sander's personal teddy-bear.

“You're mine and I won't ever grow tired of you, San”, mumbled the blonde half-asleep.

The brunette chuckled lightly. Of course he was his. His best friend. But somehow that statement send an odd and very satisfied surge through his body. Sander shook his head and closed his eyes.

“Night, Fabs”, whispered the brunette.

“Night, San”, yawned the young prince back.

 

/break\

 

The first thing Sander saw when he opened his eyes again was probably the most frightening thing he had seen in his whole life. And Atti, Cally, Fabi and him had slayed Medusa last summer.

“I can see that you're awake. If you're not out of that bed in the next three seconds, I will grill you.”

“L—Lord Triton”, exclaimed Sander and sat up on the bed.

Fabi's head fell down into the brunette's lap, causing Triton's eyes to harden some more. Sander slowly pushed his best friend over some so he could get out of the bed, because he saw how the lord counted in his mind. Standing up straight, he looked up at the god. And it took all his bravery to not flinch or squeal like a little girl when Triton grabbed his arm pretty hard and teleported them out of the cave. Once Sander dared to open his eyes again, he found himself at the shore next to their clothes and a very pissed-off lord of the sea.

“Now you will explain to me why exactly you were laying nearly naked next to my only son, who was equally unclothed, in a bed in a secret cave”, growled the green-skinned man. “And for your own health, I better like that explanation. Because otherwise I may drown you.”

Sander felt as if he had lost his ability to speak at all. What wanted Lord Triton to hear?

“We were just sleeping”, tried the brunette slightly desperate.

Triton frowned, looking the boy critically up and down. He knew teenagers. He knew how horny they were. Gripping Sander's shoulder only slightly harder than necessary, he forced the kid to look up into his angry, sea-green eyes again. The boy was short of a heart-attack.

“Fabius”, growled Triton gravely. “Is a sweet and innocent little boy. He, of all my children, is the one that reminds me most of his mother. If you are going to be the one that corrupts this innocence, I will positively break you, boy. And you know I value your mother very much. But if you lay a finger on my only son, I will not care about her wrath. Am I clear, boy?”

Sander nodded hastily, not quite sure what made Triton come to that conclusion.

“Sir, Fabs is my best friend, I would never corrupt him!”, exclaimed the teenager.

Triton stared at him for a moment longer, just to completely unnerve the mortal, before he nodded.

“You better not lie to me. Now get dressed and go back to your bedroom.”

“Yes, Lord Triton”, nodded Sander and gulped hard before taking off with his clothes in hand.

Triton smirked satisfied as he watched the boy scramble off like a scared animal. Oh, his beloved Perseus would give him a preach later on for scaring the kid like that. And dear Clarisse won't be pleased either. But it was totally worth it. Fabius was too special to make it any easy for possible suitors. And it was fun scaring the boy like that.

 

/break\

 

Percy groaned satisfied as he woke up. He loved the feeling of being sore all over the place. Well, at least this kind of soreness. Somewhere around midnight he had lost track of how often he and Triton had done it last night. And it was brilliant. When they tried to make a baby, Triton really have his best. And his best was exactly what Percy loved most. Blinking a few times, he sat up. Just to jump slightly at what greeted him. Rubbing his eyes, he tried to check if he was mistaken.

“Why aren't you in bed, Fabi?”, yawned the Rain God confused. “No. I take that back. Why aren't you in _your_ bed, Fabi? And why are you red like a tomato?”

The blonde sat cross-legged at the foot-end of Percy's bed, flushed like he had just witnessed the most embarrassing thing ever. Percy stretched some before he crawled over to curl around his son.

“What's up, my angel?”, whispered the older god softly. “Is something wrong?”

“Mom”, whined the blonde and threw himself at his mother, hiding his face in Percy's neck.

“Yes?”, chuckled Percy slightly amused and wrapped his arms soothingly around the teenager.

“Mom, am I a little kid?”, mumbled Fabius insecurely.

“You're fourteen. Wouldn't call that a little kid”, grunted the Rain God confused. “Why?”

“I mean, when you were my age, you've already been a really big hero and all and I'm sure you knew stuff like that and I'm feeling really, really stupid and...”

“Hold on”, interrupted Percy and raised an eyebrow. “What's 'stuff like that'?”

“I—I”, stuttered Fabi and lifted his head, his face even redder than before. “When I was talking with San last night, he said something about it and when I had no idea what he was talking about, I sneaked into auntie Rach's room and borrowed her laptop to check it on the internet. And the internet is a very, very scary and odd place and now I'm even more confused than before!”

“What – exactly – are you talking about, Fabi? It's early and I'm not quite awake yet. So spill it.”

“Sex!”, exclaimed Fabius, his facial color not natural anymore and his blue eyes so wide Percy feared they would pop out of their sockets at any second. “I—I googled it and... and... Is _that_ how humans mate?! Is that how a human female looks between the legs?! It's disgusting and creepy and why would anyone want to put their penis there?! Aren't they scared it bites them off?! And if only females can get pregnant and have that... that... thing, how does sex between two boys work and why and why can't human males get pregnant and... Mommy!”

At the end, the blonde had real tears gathered in the corners of his eyes and threw himself at his mother again. Percy was too dumbfounded to react at first, but he automatically slung his arms around his son to comfort the confused boy. What just happened? Shaking his head to clear it, Percy tried to piece the information together that had just been thrown at him. Oh. Sometimes he forgot that his kids weren't growing up in the mortal world. How should Fabi know anything about human sexual intercourse? He had spend the first years of his teenage life away from camp too. Did Percy really have to give the birds-and-bees-speech now?

“First, you need to calm down, Fabi”, murmured Percy soothingly, running one hand through the soft blonde hair. “Then I'll answer all your questions, okay?”

Fabius nodded against his shoulder and sobbed a few times before he reluctantly sat down in front of his mother, rubbing his eyes and biting his lips. Percy smiled slightly. His son was adorable.

“I don't understand... How do humans mate? I mean, it looks scary down there!”

Percy had to laugh at that. “Well, most men don't find it scary. And I guess that's mostly because you're not used to the human body to begin with, Fabi. But yes, that is how humans mate.”

“And... how does it work? I mean, do they mate for life too?”, asked Fabi curiously.

“Not really, no”, chuckled the Rain God and shook his head.

“So they only mate to sate their urges like some merfolk during the mating season? But they don't bond with their mate to keep them? Why not?”, wanted the blonde to know.

“Humans don't have a mating season. But you could say that they mate to sate their urges, yes”, nodded Percy slowly. “But humans aren't a very faithful species. That's the reason the merfolk doesn't like humans all that much. While a merman or mermaid feels the need to mate during the mating season, they stay faithful to their one mate once they found them. But humans don't feel that strong bond that mates have, you see.”

“Is that why they make odd films of their mating?”, asked Fabi slightly disgusted.

“You... could say that”, coughed Percy and blushed himself a bit. “That's porn. And please, stay away from those, Fabi. Your father and your grandfather won't like it at all.”

“Don't worry, mommy”, mumbled the blonde. “They frightened me too much anyway. I—I mean, why would someone enjoy getting hit on their bare behind?! Or getting tied up! That's scary. And what those two boys were doing in that one... I mean, is that even possible? That a penis fits into... I mean, isn't that too tight for something like that? And do humans use them that way all the time?”

“Gay sex. Yeah, we'll worry about that if you ever show interest in boys, okay?”, mumbled Percy, by now equally flustered as his son. “As goes for the other way around. How about we talk about this if you are interested in a human at all, mh? I mean, there are plenty of mermaids and mermen interested in you. Perhaps you won't go for a human.”

“Never, ever, ever for a human girl”, shuddered Fabius, still frightened. “Vaginas are creepy.”

The Rain God bit his lips to refrain from laughing out loud. Fabius was truly his son. He remembered that he hadn't been really interested in all that stuff at this age either.

“Don't worry so much, Fabi”, smiled Percy softly. “Once you fall in love, everything will come natural to you. Even what you now consider scary. That... is not essential a part of sex. Only if the partners involved enjoy it. So you don't need to fear it, mh?”

“So it's not bad that I don't know about things like those?”, whispered the blonde, turning wide, worried eyes on his mother. “I mean... The way San looked at me... Should I be interested in stuff like that at my age? Or... I don't get it!”

“Well, that always depends”, started Percy cautiously, not sure how to handle this conversation. “I wasn't really interested in sex either when I was your age. With some, it only comes once they meet the right person, you know? And besides, you're not a human boy, Fabi. Don't forget it. You don't have to deal with human teenage hormones all the time like others do. It will probably come and catch up with you once you hit your mating age. And believe me, your father and your grandfather are not going to make this easy for you... You know how over-protective they are about you. So let me give you one advice; be sneaky.”

“Huh?”, asked Fabius confused and blinked a few times.

“Simple”, chuckled Percy amused. “Your grandfather and your father will make it hard for whoever you are going to like one day. But I don't want you to be scared because of that. It won't mean they don't trust you. It's just... other people they don't trust. They don't want you to get hurt. But they're not... very good at those things. So if you ever really, really like someone, you can always come to me, okay? I promise that we can tell your father and grandfather together and that I'll help you. But I don't want you to keep such a thing as a secret from us just because you're afraid of their reaction. I will never judge, deal?”

“Deal”, nodded Fabi hastily and his face brightened.

He knew he would always have his mom to watch his back. Wrapping his arms around Percy, he hugged the Rain God tightly. Percy smiled softly down at the teenager.

“Is there anything else you want to know?”, asked the older son of Poseidon after a while. “I mean, more... eh... detailed or anything... Or will you give me some time to prepare a speech for it?”

He aimed an half-grin at his son and Fabi giggled slightly.

“Uh... actually... well...”, stuttered the blonde before be blushed once more.

“Come on, you know you can ask me”, smiled Percy encouragingly.

“How do you... know...?”, asked Fabius slowly, obviously trying to formulate what he wanted to say. “I mean, I'm part human due to you. So what if I won't find my mate like dad did... What if I have to fall in love like humans obviously do. I don't understand the concept of love. Regardless of how often Atti forces me to watch _Twilight_ , I don't get it. First he wants to eat her, then she nearly kills herself for him and in the end she's a case of teenage pregnancy... Is that how it works?”

“First; Tell your sister she needs to stop forcing you into watching it”, grunted Percy slightly irritated. “And no. That is absolutely not how it works. The sparkly vampires aside, it's quite unhealthy to develop a romance based on stalking. You should hit it off, you know? It's not like in some Hollywood movies where they see each other for the first time and instantly fall in love with each other. Love is scarcely something that hits you square in the face. Most of the times it needs a while until it blossoms. Like, you notice that you share many interests and that you even when you don't talk with each other, are content just being together. That you have a connection.”

Fabi frowned, now even more confused than ever. And Percy sighed.

“Love is nothing you can explain”, chuckled the Rain God, ruffling his son's hair. “But believe me, you will know it once you fall in love.”

“And how is that with humans? Can they only really love the opposite gender? I mean... if they can't reproduce with the same gender... what I don't get either by the way...”

“I'll take you to the next Christoper Street Day”, mumbled Percy skeptically. “No. They love each other. Even though they can't reproduce. That doesn't necessarily have something to do with love.”

“But it's not very common... I mean, I like never saw two boys kissing here! Or two girls”, exclaimed Fabius with a frown. “Why not?”

“Because the human society is a little slow in the taking”, chuckled Percy darkly. “You see, just like you're wondering about the fact that gays can't have own children, so do humans. And sadly enough some see this as a proof that gays are against nature. But please, never in your whole life let any of those get to you, okay? They are stupid and mistaken. You are perfect the way you are. Regardless of if you love a man, a woman, a mermaid or a merman. I will always love you, remember that.”

“Thanks, mom”, smiled Fabius brightly and kissed Percy's cheek.

“Don't worry”, grinned the Rain God. “But now we should really get ready for breakfast, mh?”

“Yeah! I'll come back if I have more questions! You were a great help!”

And with those words, the blonde was out of the bedroom and left Percy alone to smirk amused. This had come quite unexpected. Sometimes he forgot that his children were growing up. That they would soon reach the age where they would bring boyfriends or girlfriends with them. And Percy really wondered what kind of partner they would bring. Gods? Demi-gods? Mortals? Mermen? The question if their kids were heterosexual or homosexual seemed pretty secondary now... He just hoped that whoever caught Fabi's heart, Poseidon and Triton would behave and not frighten the poor kid to death. He already had enough of the evil eye both his lovers were giving any god or merman who dared to look at Attina for more than a second. He really didn't want to imagine what would happen if Fabius was even remotely like him. Yawning slightly, he stood to get ready. Just to be disturbed by a knocking on his door. He frowned a bit, thinking Fabi had returned. Though then again, the boy never bothered to knock anyway.

“Yeah?”, asked the Rain God slowly.

A head with long, red hair pushed itself into his view. The oracle frowned deeply, glaring at him as if he had just done something incredibly wrong. She would make an excellent mother if not for the whole eternal virgin deal. Percy raised one eyebrow in question.

“Percy”, growled Rachel slightly annoyed. “Were you at my laptop?”

“No”, blinked the son of Poseidon confused. “Why?”

“Because I certainly don't watch gay porn”, grunted the redhead frustrated. “I wanted to check my mails before breakfast, just to discover that I got an virus due to a downloaded gay porn movie! I understand that you miss your husband, but can't you jerk off to imagination like others?!”

“I did no such thing!”, yelped Percy embarrassed. “That wasn't me!”

Rachel frowned for a moment longer. “Yeah, right. Sander is at least clever enough to delete the browser history every time he borrows my laptop. Who else should it have been?”

The Rain God bit his tongue. He couldn't just say her that his son had been the culprit, could he?

“Whatever”, snorted Rachel and rolled her eyes. “Nico is going to buy me a new one.”

“What? Why?”, asked Percy dumbfounded by her mood-swing.

“Because he and Annabeth owe me”, smirked the redhead and winked at him.

“How come I only get to hear their names together these days?”, hummed Percy intrigued and followed her out of the room. “What is going on between them and how come Artemis hasn't roasted Nico for it already?”

“Nothing is going on between them”, chuckled Rachel. “But believe me, that is already taking all their willpower. Nico is just going to loose a bet to me soon.”

“Why is he betting against the almighty oracle anyway?”, asked Percy and raised one eyebrow.

“Simple; Lady Artemis is holding the other end of it”, smiled the redhead. “But you'll see. Soon enough. For now, breakfast!”

“I hate when you go all oracle on me”, pouted the son of Poseidon.

“Well, then let me get a bit more oracle on you”, chuckled Rachel. “You should prepare that speech very soon if you don't plan on becoming a grandmother this decade. And talk to your husband.”

“Oracles. They can take all the fun out of life”, chuckled Percy, dismissing it for now.

He could still wonder about this later. For now, he was hungry.


	18. IX. Interlude: Hysteric Fits

IX. Interlude: Hysteric Fits

 

“I'm so nervous, I think I'm going to die!”

The blonde girl paced the room nervously, her breath shortening, her eyes wide.

“Shut up, Chase”, grunted the boy in front of her and glared. “You seriously have no reason to get all hysteric. I've lived through my wedding too.”

“It's not the wedding that gets me hysteric, Percy!”, screamed the girl back.

The daughter of Athena was wide-eyed, running both hands through her hair. Percy chuckled amused and sat up some to look at his best friend. She looked all worn out.

“Well, what is it then, Annabeth?”, asked the god softly.

“I don't...”, started the blonde just to stop and turn around, her back facing Percy. “I've been a huntress for years now and it... I think it's part of me... Can I really give it up...?”

“If you're being a coward now, Triton and I will roast you”, grunted Percy with a warning glare, standing up to walk over to her. “I had been pestering Lady Artemis for months now, together with Thalia and all the gods – Leo, Triton, dad, Aphrodite, Persephone, Hades. We brought it to the court, to be decided by the gods. We bend an ancient law just for you. We freed you from your eternal oath. So you can marry the man of your dreams. If you back out of it now, we will be pissed. I know you loved being a huntress, just as I loved being a hero. But time has changed. Perhaps now it's time for you to settle down, Annabeth. Isn't that what you want?”

“I don't know”, shrugged the daughter of Athena stubbornly, though her eyes trailed down his body and there was a longing in the gray depths. “Perhaps...”

“You can touch, if you want”, chuckled the son of Poseidon amused.

She bit her lip and reached out to place a hand on his round stomach, just to pull back again, staring wide-eyed at Percy. “It—It moved! I think they kicked!”

“There are four of them and there is only so little room within me”, chuckled the Rain God amused. “They fight for room all the time. I can't wait for them to finally move out...”

“How can you be so calm?”, muttered Annabeth dumbfounded.

He averted his eyes and breathed deep. “The last time I've been hysteric... I...”

“I'm sorry!”, interrupted the daughter of Athena wide-eyed, realizing her stupid question.

“Don't worry”, chuckled Percy darkly. “I try my best to stay calm. It's hard sometimes, but... When you have someone you're responsible for, then that changes your few. You're old for a huntress. Don't get me wrong, but most huntresses joined in their early teens. It's time for you to settle down. And be both know how much Nico loves you. The question is: Are you ready?”

“Mommy, mommy, I drew a picture for you!”, exclaimed a loud and cheerful voice.

A nine-years old black-haired attached herself to Percy and presented him a drawing, her blue eyes gleaming with pride at that. The son of Poseidon smiled and kissed her head.

“Yes”, whispered Annabeth softly as she observed the love between Percy and Ally.

“That's very pretty. But how about you go and play with Aqua a bit? She's certainly reading again. But you know that I want you kids to play outside too.”

“Yey!”, exclaimed Ally and nodded. “I will go and ride on Blacky with her!”

The green-skinned girl ran off again to talk to her twin. Percy smiled and looked at Annabeth.

“So you won't cancel the wedding after all? No cold feet anymore?”, chuckled Percy amused.

“No”, smiled the daughter of Athena and shook her head. “I think I want to... get a normal life. Well, as normal as it can get with the gods and all.”

“If you get another fit of hysterical 'I don't want to', then you can always count on me.”

“I know”, smiled Annabeth, hugging him. “That's why you're my number one bridesmaiden, Percy.”

“This is going to be the wedding of the century”, grinned Percy broadly.


	19. A Childish, Godly Marriage and Married Gods With Children

9\. A Childish, Godly Marriage and Married Gods With Children

 

“Why in the world are you half-naked?!”

Sander stared wide-eyed over at his best friend, who was laying sprawled on the couch, only wearing his dress-shirt and his Finding Nemo boxer-shorts, obviously not having a care in the world. The blonde was drawing figures onto the floor with his fingers, hanging over the couch with his upper body. Sander blushed furiously at the view presented to him.

“Oh, hey, San”, grinned Fabi broadly and sat up, turning around to face his best friend. “You know how much I hate pants! And those are incredibly uncomfortable and auntie Annie takes ages to get ready anyway, so why do I have to wait in the uncomfy pants?”

A pout adored his face as the son of Percy stared up at the brunette. Sander tried to take a deep breath and ignore the adorableness of his best friend. Which in itself was an impossible task.

“Still”, sighed Sander, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Get back into your pants. Our mothers asked us to keep an eye on the kids. And Atti and Cally are too busy being flower girls and stuff.”

“The twins are ten. Can't they do that?”, groaned Fabi and stood irritated.

“You know your sisters”, snickered Sander amused. “Ally does more mischief than all others together and Aqua is too shy to stop her twin from doing so. And I think Ally decided that it would be an awesome idea to adventure through Olympus.”

“Tell me we weren't that bad when we were their age”, muttered Fabi, pulling his pants up.

“Said the boy running around in boxer-shorts”, smirked Sander.

The blonde blushed and turned to stare at his best friend with a huff. “I hate pants! They are uncomfortable and I don't understand why we need to wear them! Down in Atlantis I don't need stupid pants either! Why can't I just wear shorts now?!”

“Because they are inappropriate for a wedding”, laughed Sander, wrapping one arm around Fabi's shoulders to pull him along. “And now come, before our sisters and Sammy destroy Olympus!”

 

/break\

 

“Wait! Come back!”, whined Tyson irritated and ran off after the giggling twins. “Brother asked me to keep an eye on you until your siblings come! Wait!”

Aqua was throwing wide-eyed looks over her shoulder as her twin pulled her along, giggling like a manic, claiming that their uncle Ty would never ever catch them. The three ran down the hill.

“Auntie Ella, let go! I said let go!”, whined another voice from above.

Triton blinked a bit confused, his focus shifting from his twin-daughters to the harpy flying above him. His sister-in-law was holding the two seven-years-olds with her talons, both Sammy and Carry struggling to free themselves so they could follow the older children. Triton chuckled amused.

“Ella”, called Triton softly, catching the harpy's attention. “Could you go and look for Chrysander and Fabius and bring those two rascals to them, please?”

Ella nodded eagerly and flew off towards the main palace of Olympus, where the two boys must have been. The boys and probably everyone else. Triton sighed slightly. Hera was so busy preparing the wedding, Hazel, Clarisse, the huntresses and Percy were with the bride, Grover, Frank and Leo were with the groom and the children were doing mischief. Though that was nothing new. This was after all their first time on mount Olympus, so it was understandable that the little ones were excited and wanted to see as much of it as possible. Triton walked slowly over to the lake behind the palace, knowing his father was there. And true, the Lord of the Sea stood in front of the lake, frowning.

“Father? What are you doing here?”, asked the green-skinned god.

“He had been back for three years now and we barely talk at all”, murmured Poseidon.

Triton nodded slowly, averting his eyes. He knew their father loved Percy very much. But Percy was still very reluctant about everything. He took his role as mother very serious at the moment, mainly focusing on rebuilding his relationship with his children and also with his husband. Though Triton was sure that Percy still loved Poseidon, it was just hard to rebuilt the trust.

“It is getting better, slowly”, murmured Triton soothingly. “You have to be patient. You tried to force him into something. Regardless of the outcome, this is still a big betrayal. We are immortal, I think this is the moment you need to take time. Besides, he is quite busy being pregnant at the moment. You know the four babies are making him nervous.”

“Yes, I know”, nodded Poseidon with a sigh.

“You talk again, you even cuddle. Be satisfied with that for now, father.”

 

/break\

 

“I can't do that. I think I'll go again. Yes, I'll leave.”

“If she says that again, I will personally strangle her thin neck”, growled the brunette woman.

She ran her fingers through her hair and glared at the white-clad bride. Clarisse and Percy sat on the couch, between Hazel and Rachel. Piper and Thalia were fussing over Annabeth, who was constantly pacing the room. Percy grinned broadly as he watched her.

“You still remember how I have been nervous about my own wedding?”, smiled Percy.

His hands were folded over his very round belly, Clarisse next to him resting one hand on the extended stomach too, rubbing it with one thumb without paying attention to the action.

“Percy is right. And he barely knew Triton back then. You, you have been with Nico for years before you broke up and even after that, you still loved him”, hummed Rachel.

“You left the hunters, you got the gods to bend and ancient rule because you love him”, sighed Thalia annoyed. “So if you're bailing now, I will use you as target practice.”

“I second that”, muttered Piper, trying to braid Annabeth's hair. “And now stop moving.”

“You're right, you're right”, sighed the daughter of Athena, biting her lips. “But...”

“No buts”, warned Hazel. “If you break my brother's heart a second time, I will break you. As much as I love you, I won't watch Nico breaking like that again.”

“Damn, girl. You can be dangerous”, chuckled Clarisse and high-fived her.

“I won't break his heart”, muttered Annabeth. “I just... Eternity is a very, very long time...”

“I know”, sighed Percy darkly, linking his fingers with Clarisse.

“Oh, don't start pouting about Poseidon now”, warned the daughter of Ares irritated.

“No, no, no!”, interrupted Annabeth. “Let him talk, please. That distracts me!”

The girls and Percy laughed softly at that and leaned back for story-time.

“Okay”, smiled the son of Poseidon amused. “So... Dad had been... great the last nine months. I mean, he had been supportive and he respected the boundaries I set. He gives me the time I need and I know I had taken much, much time now and I feel like I'm taking too much time and...”

“Stop being a pussy, Jackson”, growled Clarisse annoyed. “Either you love him, or not. Either you move out of the palace and start your own life with your husband and your children, or you stay in the palace and keep your affair with Poseidon up. But you have to make up your mind.”

Percy bit his lips and nodded slowly. He knew Clarisse was right, but he wasn't sure what to do. For now, his children were his main concern. Attina was fifteen, Fabius was fourteen. They both had reached their mating age now, so Percy had to keep an eye on them and protect them. It was his duty as their mother to keep odd mermen as far away from them as possible. This, coupled with his job at camp and now his pregnancy had kept him busy enough as it was. No time to consider his relationship with Poseidon, really.

 

/break\

 

“I can't believe you're finally getting laid, dude!”, grinned Leo broadly.

“Another word and I will banish you to Tartarus, moron”, growled Nico annoyed.

The son of Hades stood in front of a full-length mirror, checking if he looked alright, not pleased by it. Frank walked up to him to straighten his tie, an amused grin on his lips.

“Stop fussing, you're looking good”, chuckled the son of Mars.

“I'm looking like I'm attending a funeral and not my own wedding!”, groaned the Italian.

“That's because you're the son of Hades”, snickered Connor, looking at his brothers.

“Yeah, I mean, dude, of course you're looking like that”, laughed Travis.

“Don't be mean”, grunted their younger half-brother and rolled his eyes. “And you, stop being a baby. Annabeth loves you because of yourself, you're looking handsome enough for her, so stop being a little kid. I want for us to get this wedding through before Carry burns Olympus down.”

“Yeah, did I ever tell you that out of your kids she's my favorite?”, grinned Leo.

“You”, growled Chris annoyed. “Are no longer allowed to babysit my daughter. Absolutely not. Last time she came home from a day with you, she dissected our coffee machine! And you have never seen Clarisse without her morning coffee!”

The Latino snickered and backed off some. Nico rolled his eyes at his fellow god. The three other mortal men laughed as they watched how Chris chased Leo through the room.

“This wedding keeps getting better. I can't wait for the main act”, grinned Connor.

Travis nodded, one arm wrapped around his brother's shoulders.

 

/break\

 

“Don't go there, don't go there, please don't go... They went there...”

Fabi stopped, bending over some to rest his hands on his knees, panting hard. His face was flushed from all the running, his jacket was tied around his waist. Sander turned around to stare at his best friend, sighed and walked back to stand next to the blonde.

“Your stamina sucks, Fabs”, grunted the brunette and rolled his eyes.

“I'm not used to legs! You know exactly that I only use them like two months in the year”, pouted Fabi and lifted his gaze to glare up at the older boy. “Let's take a swim and I'll beat you.”

“I know, little mermaid”, grinned Sander, ruffling Fabi's hair. “But now come, we need to catch the kids before they ruin Lord Zeus' bedroom.”

“Oh. Yeah, right”, nodded the blonde wide-eyed and straightened.

The two teenagers ran into the enormous bedroom, just to see how Carry, Sammy, Ally and Aqua were jumping up and down on the big bed of the king and the queen of Olympus.

“If Hera or Zeus would know, our siblings would be grilled”, sighed Sander annoyed. “Seriously, I never want children of my own if they're as stupid and childish as that!”

“What?”, blinked Fabi surprised. “You don't want kids when you're older?”

“I'm fifteen”, grunted the brunette and rolled his eyes. “Which fifteen years old boy wants kids?”

“I do. One day”, shrugged the blonde, turning to watch the four younger children having fun. “I mean, sure, it's a load of work. I know that, I've had to watch the twins most of the time while mom was away. But I think it must be awesome to have someone loving you unconditionally.”

“You're being stupid, Fabs”, grunted the son of Clarisse, laying one arm around Fabius' neck. “You have many people loving you unconditionally. But I'm sure you'll be a great mom one day.”

Fabi blushed until even his ears turned dark red and he narrowed his eyes, trying to ignore the older boy. Sander blinked confused by that reaction. He was only teasing the other boy, after all.

“Anyway”, coughed the brunette, embarrassed by the cuteness level of the younger one. “You four are getting down from that bed, out of this room and to the next bathroom to straighten your clothes, get your hair right and be well-behaved. Am I understood?”

His younger sister and her friends instantly stopped at his authorial voice, looking at him doe-eyed. The four girls had their hairs braided with flowers, long, waving dresses rustling as they climbed down from the bed. Aqua wore a yellow dress, Ally's dress was purple, Sammy wore a light golden dress and Carry's was a silvery gray. The four kids looked adorable in their summer dresses with the frills and the colorful flowers in their hair. Aphrodite had done good work with that.

“Yes, Sander”, murmured the four, their eyes on the floor.

“Good”, nodded Sander satisfied. “Now go. Get your clothes straight again and then go to Atti and Cally so they can check if you're alright. Then tell them to get ready too.”

The four nodded obediently and ran past them. Fabi turned to watch them retreat, blinking surprised before looking back at his best friend, who heaved an exhausted sigh.

“You have to get children one day”, stated Fabius. “You are going to be an awesome dad!”

“I'm a year-rounder”, shrugged Sander bored. “Cally and I are like the leaders of camp. I know how to control a bunch or irritating and disobedient brats.”

“Yeah, like I just said”, nodded the blonde, linking their fingers. “You'll be a great dad.”

“You're being stupid. You need more friends, Fabius”, noted the brunette amused. “You spend too much time with your family. You need contact to other people.”

“I do!”, protested Fabius with a glare. “Atti and I have other friends aside from Cally and you.”

“Really?”, asked Sander half surprised, wondering why there was this pang of jealousy.

“Of course”, chuckled the blonde amused, nudging the older boy. “It's not like we spend ten months of the year all alone in the palace? Seriously? With such an awesome city like Atlantis right in front of our door? Come on, San. I'm not a loner.”

“Y... Yeah, I know”, nodded the brunette and frowned slightly.

It bothered him that he had never wondered about this. Somehow he felt as if Fabi's and Atti's lives only took place at camp. Perhaps because his own did? But wasn't it completely unfair of him to feel that way now? Fabi had every right to have other friends aside from them too.

“What... kind of friends?”, asked Sander slowly, observing Fabius out of the corner of his eyes.

“What's that for a question?”, laughed the blonde confused.

“Well, what are their names, who are they, how do you know them”, shrugged the brunette casually.

“You probably know them from history classes”, grinned Fabius. “Glaucus, Atargatis and Loreley. Mom always says that Atargatis and Loreley are the Cally and Sander from Atlantis.”

“It's nice that you get along so well with the girls”, nodded Sander before he paused for a second. “This... Glaucus... He was a mortal _man_ who got turned into a merman, right?”

“Yeah”, nodded Fabi, blinking confused. “Sure. That's why we get along so well. Since I spend some of my time as a human. He says it's great to know someone who knows both, being human and being merman. Why are you asking all those questions?”

“Just... curiosity”, shrugged Sander leisurely. “Come on, let's check on uncle Nico.”

“Yeah, good idea”, nodded the blonde eagerly, already forgetting about his friend's odd behavior.

The Rodriguez-boy followed the young prince's lead through the halls and tried to suppress that odd feeling of burning doubt. There was a merman spending ten months of the year together with Fabi...

 

/break\

 

“Are you alright, Perseus?”, whispered Triton concerned, helping his pregnant consort to the chair.

Percy chuckled slightly, sitting down next to his husband. The king of Atlantis was overly worried these days, but that was mostly because he was due all too soon. On Percy's other side sat Poseidon.

“Well, are you alright, mom?”, asked the oldest Sea God.

“Of course I am, stop worrying, you two”, laughed Percy softly.

“Where are our children?”, asked Triton then.

“Let's see...”, hummed Percy thoughtful, scanning the crowd. “Ally and Aqua are over there, sneaking out of the room to get to the food together with Sammy and Carry. And Fabi is over there with Sander, you know they have the age where you're ashamed of your parents and want to be independent and stuff. Oh, and here comes our oldest.”

The music started and Atti and Cally entered the hall, throwing flowers, closely followed by the bridesmaiden and, in the end, also by the bride. Annabeth looked stunningly beautiful in her silvery-white dress that seemed to be made of stars. The hall went silent and awed at her.

Hera stood in the front, with Nico next to her. The Ghost God looked uncharacteristically worried, but also extremely fascinated by his future consort.

“Very well”, started the goddess of marriage, with an unusually soft smile. “We came together today to celebrate the union between--”

“Oh fuck!”

Hera frowned slightly and turned to stare, just like everyone else. Percy bit his tongue at the attention he just received and blushed brightly. Triton frowned.

“You don't curse”, noted the king of Atlantis.

“Eh... Apollo, a second? Or... and hour? And you guys, just continue, yes?”, smiled Percy strained.

“Uh... Why?”, asked the Sun God confused.

“Oh, come on”, groaned the son of Poseidon annoyed. “Highly pregnant boy here. What do you think happened?! My fucking water broke!”

“Oh!”, exclaimed nearly everyone at the same moment.

Apollo bolted up hastily and motioned for Poseidon and Triton to get Percy out of the room.

“Your timing sucks, Jackson!”, snorted Clarisse unimpressed. “And you lot, stop staring. Continue so we will be through with this in time to look at some adorable mini-Percys!”

 

/break\

 

“Fabs? Fabs, where are you? Fabs!”, called Sander confused, running through the halls.

The brunette frowned, a plate with cake in one hand and his little sister at his other hand. Most adults were in the ball room, eating, dancing and, well, mainly waiting. It was as if the waltz was the new pacing for them. But somewhere along the lines, he had noticed that the four youngest kids had disappeared. So he, Fabius, Calandra and Attina split up to look for them. He had found his charge, even though Carry looked less than pleased by this.

“Why won't you let us play?”, whined the mischievous grandchild of Ares.

“Because”, started Sander and sighed. “Because uncle Percy is having the babies at the moment and every adult is too busy worrying so someone has to keep you in line. I don't need you and your little gang pulling some kind of stupid stunt today.”

Carry pouted and glared up at her big brother, though Sander was by now beyond the point of caring about that. He needed to find the others. He knew that Atti and Cally were in the garden, together with Aqua and Sammy. Well, catching those two had always been the easier task anyway. Ally and Carry were the real problems. Now all he had to do was helping his best friend finding the up-to-no-good twin. Sander just prayed that the four babies wouldn't mean doubling the trouble the twins had brought. The wedding had been over for five hours now and the festivity had been supposed to end about two hours ago, but no one was willing to leave just now. Percy was still in labor. Sander was sure this would so ruin Nico's and Annabeth's wedding night. Speaking about...

“Sander, where are you going?”, asked Nico curiously.

The groom, who had spend about an hour dancing with his now consort, sat at the head of the table, with his feet resting on the table-top and his wife resting on his lap. Annabeth wasn't really asleep, the worry for Percy too big for that, coupled with the excitement of being married and immortal (a little bonus present from the gods). Her previously perfect hair was more looking like a crow's nest because she kept ruffling it. Sander blinked, staring at his somewhat aunt and uncle.

“Uh... nothing”, grinning the brunette boy sheepishly. “Just playing a bit.”

Nico frowned, looking the teenager up and down. He knew the face of a lying boy if he saw it.

“Well then, keep playing”, muttered the Ghost God.

Not that he could do much at the moment. He knew Sander was a responsible boy.

“Say, where is mom?”, asked Carry with wide, curious eyes. “And is uncle Percy alright?”

“Your mom is with Percy at the moment”, answered Annabeth with a slight smile. “And they are both just fine. Now hush, go and play. I saw Ally at the buffet earlier.”

The buffet, of course. That girl could eat! Sander nodded sharply and pulled his younger sister along to the table with the food, where Grover was nervously chewing a red plastic cup.

 

/break\

 

“Percy? Perce, come on. You know you can do that. Think of Ally and Aqua, you did that too.”

“Shut the fuck up”, growled Percy with dark eyes. “Those were two! This is torture! Fucking torture. So stop talking to me like that!”

“Damn, boy”, chuckled Clarisse slightly amused. “Never thought you'd be that aggressive.”

Triton and Poseidon exchanged a look at that. They knew very well how colorful their lover's language could get in this situation. Each of the gods was holding a baby, the baby in Poseidon's arms having the same green skin as Alana and a light turf of black hair. While the baby in Triton's arms was rosy and blonde, staring with wide, wondrous sea-green eyes up at her father.

“Come on, one more to go”, grinned Clarisse, trying to cheer Percy up.

Though her eyes trailed over to Apollo, who was still busy with the third baby. It hadn't screamed yet. And this fact was turning her stomach into knots. She needed to distract Percy from it, because worry was the least thing the young Lord needed at the current moment.

 

/break\

 

“Damn it”, sighed Attina exhausted and collapsed against the wall next to her best friend.

Cally was already sitting on the balcony, staring down at the lake. Once the older girl sat down next to her, she wrapped her arm around the Sea Princess and ruffled her hair slightly. The four older children had spend the last hour chasing their younger counterparts and now that they had finally collected the rascals, they had herded them onto the balcony to keep a watchful eye on them. Carry, Sammy, Ally and Aqua were sitting in the corner, pouting and plotting. Fabius was sitting on the balustrade, his arms wrapped around Sander's shoulders, while the son of Chris and Clarisse stood between his best friend's legs, his eyes closed as he leaned against Fabi.

“Like I said, I never want kids of my own. Busy enough with my little sister and her friends. Don't know why adults do that to themselves”, groaned Sander hoarsely.

Fabi giggled, though Sander felt it more than hearing it. “Don't be like that. I think it can also be pretty cool, you know? Besides, what else are old people supposed to do than having kids to raise?”

“What in the fucking world are you two talking about?”, snorted Cally amused.

“Don't know”, shrugged her brother. “Just something we had been talking about earlier. Future.”

“That reminds me of how we used to play father, mother, children when we were younger”, laughed Atti. “When the twins had still been small and all.”

“Yeah”, nodded Cally with a thoughtful frown. “How come Fabi was always the mom?”

“Because you always wanted to be uncle Chiron and Sander was way better as dad than Fabi. And I always wanted to be the grandma”, grinned Atti broadly. “Like... grandma Sally...”

Suddenly her grin died and a remorseful look passed her features. Fabi also averted his eyes, resting his chin on top of Sander's head, his fingers clawing into the fabric of Sander's jacket.

“You think mom will be alright?”, whispered the blonde doubtful.

“Shut up, Fabs”, chided Sander irritated. “Of course he's alright. Stop worrying.”

“How about you all shut up and come with me?”, asked a soft voice.

“Aunt Rachel?”, blinked Fabi confused and tilted his head.

“Do you want to meet your new siblings?”, wanted the oracle to know.

“I don't think this is a good idea, Rachel”, grunted the man next to her.

Their arms were linked and the redhead hit his upper arm playfully at that. Though the blonde man simply frowned down at her and straightened his jacket. Sammy's eyes sparkled at that and she ran up to them, throwing herself at the blonde, who look less than pleased (even though Sander was sure to see that this was more to mask a certain amount of affection he held for her).

“Uncle Octavian!”, exclaimed Sammy, hero-worshipping dripping from her words.

“What did you do to make the girl so addicted to you, Tavy?”, chuckled Rachel amused.

“I have no idea”, sighed Octavian. “But I blame our former praetors for leaving their children in my care. This seems to attract noisy, little brats to my home. Ouch.”

He glared down at the brunette child, who glared back. Carry stood next to Sammy, her hands stemmed against her hips. Rachel chuckled at the intimidating little girl.

“Don't be mean to Sammy”, growled the granddaughter of Ares protectively.

“He's not being mean”, defeated Sammy wide-eyed, waving her arms in silent command. “He's only teasing. That's what mommy and daddy say. He doesn't mean it. He's just... emotionally hindered.”

Octavian obeyed the demand and lifted Sammy up into his arms, shifting her a bit so she could wrap her arms around his neck. The girl grinned pleased at that and nestled closer to him.

“That's what our dear praetors say about me?”, muttered the augur unamused.

“Hush now, I wanna see my little siblings!”, interrupted Ally irritated.

She pulled her twin along with her as she passed the two adults. Rachel shook her head at their enthusiasm. Carry threw a suspicious glare at Octavian, which made Sander laugh slightly. She was very much like him. She didn't like that her friends had a life outside of theirs either. To sooth her a bit, Rachel took her hand and led her back inside. The older Jackson-siblings exchanged a look before they both stood to follow too, together with their best friends. But half way through the halls that would ultimately lead to Apollo's hospital room, they stopped. Annabeth and Nico were waiting there for them, both with sad expressions and bloody clothes. It made Sander's stomach twist in an unpleasant way and he started to fear the worst. Annabeth and Rachel exchanged a look.

“Chris and the others are in the dining hall, can you bring Carry and Sammy there, please? We'll... take it from here”, muttered the daughter of Athena softly.

“What about Chrysander and Calandra?”, asked Octavian with a frown.

Nico shook his head and the augur nodded in understanding, leaving the newly weds alone with the four teenagers. Sander frowned and grabbed Fabi's hand. Annabeth got down onto her knees.

“What's wrong, auntie Annie?”, asked Atti with fearful eyes, tears already building up in those sea-green depths. “Is... Is something wrong with mommy...?”

“No, Atti, your mom is alright”, replied Annabeth, resting one hand on her shoulder. “But...”

Nico sighed and got onto his knees next to his wife, resting his hand on the smaller of her back while staring at Fabi intensely and honestly. The blonde gulped.

“One of your little siblings didn't make it”, said the Ghost God. “Apollo did his best, but a pregnancy with multiple babies is always complicated and while your three little sisters had been strong, your baby brother didn't make it. Your mom is... very, very sad at the moment.”

“But”, interrupted Annabeth, tightening her grip on Attina's shoulder and pulling her close. “He won't leave, you hear me, kids? So please don't worry. Go and check on your family, okay?”

Nico bit his lips as he stood again to lead the children to the hospital room. This was not how he had pictured his wedding to be. Especially not with his best friend loosing another child. His eyes searched for Annabeth's and the blonde linked their fingers, reassuring him that he was not alone with his worries and concerns. The last time Percy had lost a baby, he had been on the run from his own feelings for a couple of years. They weren't sure if Fabius and Attina could take that a second time. His eyes trailed back to the children, though Fabius' azure-blue ones were hid by his bangs.

They walked along the hall and Fabi felt as if he was on the way to his own execution. How would his mother handle this? He couldn't leave them again! A silent sob ragged his body and he tightened his grip on Sander's hand. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not again.

What they saw when they entered the big bedroom was less than joyful. Not how they had pictured the first time they would meet their baby siblings. Percy was laying on the bed, crying into Grover's chest. The satyr tried to calm his best friend again. Poseidon, Tyson and Triton stood in front of the bed, each holding a baby, all of them on their knees so the twins could awe at the babies. Clarisse stood in front of the bed and wrapped her arms around her own children once they entered. Annabeth sat down on Percy's other side, running her fingers through his hair.

“Hey, seaweed brain”, whispered the daughter of Athena softly. “Atti and Fabi are here. They are worried about you, Percy.”

The son of Poseidon blinked his tears away, as good as possible, and turned to look at his oldest children. Grover and Annabeth made enough room for Attina and Fabius to climb up too.

“Mommy? You know this is not your fault, right?”, murmured Atti and hid her face in his neck.

“Yeah, angel... I know”, sobbed Percy, wrapping his arms around his oldest child.

But Fabi didn't know if that was true. What if his mom would leave again now? Ice cold fear gripped his heart and he turned to run out of the room. He felt tears running down his cheeks.

“That boy is way too much like you, Perce”, groaned Clarisse exhausted.

“Atti”, whispered the tired queen of Atlantis. “Can you please follow your brother? I... know he's afraid and I'm sorry that I gave him reason to fear to begin with...”

The Sea Princess nodded and stood, though before she left the room, she turned to look at him doubtfully. “You... won't leave us again, right, mom?”

He felt a pang at his heart but he guessed that he deserved this. “No, love. I won't. I'm just... very, very sad at the moment, but that doesn't mean that I don't love you and your siblings anymore.”

She nodded shortly, grabbing both Rodriguez-children's hands to pull them with her so they could help her searching. Clarisse sighed as she watched the children run out and then she collapsed on the bed too. She had spend the last couple of hours helping Percy through the birth after all.

“You sure you'll be alright, Jackson?”, asked Clarisse concerned.

Sea-green eyes trailed over to the rest of his family, how Tyson held the youngest Jackson-baby proudly in his arms while Ella was making funny faces at the babies, all three giggling delighted. Poseidon and Triton were tickling the bellies of the other two babies, Aqua and Ally observing all of this fascinated. They had never seen a real baby before, after all. At least not that they remembered, they had only been three when Carry and Sammy had been born after all. No, how could he ever leave his family again? A sad smile stretched over his lips.

“I lost one child, but... I also gained three”, whispered Percy honestly. “Do you remember Danny? The daughter of Apollo I told you about? She told me that a life, especially an immortal one, shouldn't be about losses, but about the good things we gain. Not the... people we loose but the people we meet... It's easier said than done, but she's right... I just hope Atti and Fabi believe me...”

“They love you, stupid”, whispered Annabeth and yawned. “They're just... afraid.”

She cuddled closer, resting her head on his shoulder, while she felt the bed dipping behind her. Nico wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck softly.

“This is not how I imagined our wedding night”, noted the son of Hades casually.

“Awfully sorry for my inconvenient timing, di Angelo”, grunted Percy exhausted.

“He's fine”, whispered Nico as he watched how his best friend closed his eyes. “Your mom promised to take care of him, just as she did with your lost baby-girl.”

“I know”, nodded Percy slowly. “I don't need to be able to see ghosts to know that.”

But nonetheless, a single tear ran down his cheek. Grover frowned, tightening his grip.

“Say, how are we going to name those three?”, asked the satyr lightly, trying to get Percy off those depressing thoughts again. “I mean, we can't call them baby one, baby two and baby three.”

“No, that would be ridiculous”, glared Clarisse. “They won't stay babies forever, after all.”

“The oldest, the... blonde one, I want her to be named Arista”, whispered Percy softly.

Poseidon, Triton and Tyson stepped closer to listen in, Ella perching on the foot-end of the bed, tilting her head as she watched baby Arista approving of her new name.

“And this fine, young lady?”, asked Poseidon with a fond smile, cradling the green-skinned, black-haired baby in his arms. “What is she going to be called?”

“Andrina”, smiled Percy sadly. “And the brunette will be Adella.”

“Ad-Ella? Ella! Little Ella!”, nodded Ella approvingly. “Ella likes little Ella!”

The harpy ruffled the brunette hair of the other green-skinned baby and little Adella giggled.

“I think she likes that name, too”, chuckled Triton amused.

 

/break\

 

“Don't run away like that, jerk!”, growled Calandra annoyed as they reached the lake.

Fabi was dangling his feet into the shallow, cold water, staring at the reflexion of the moon. The daughter of Clarisse was panting after their little rant and collapsed behind the blonde, giving him a clout while Atti and Sander sat down on each side of the son of Perseus.

“Ouch! What did you do that for?!”, groaned Fabi and rubbed his head.

“That was for running away”, scolded Cally irritated. “Your mom is hurt, don't be a jerk and hurt him even more. If you don't want him running away again, you shouldn't run away either.”

“My insensitive sister”, started Sander with a sharp glare at Cally. “Tries to tell you that running off like that wasn't the right thing to do. You mom needs you now.”

“Yeah, but... what if he leaves again?”, whispered Fabi and turned wide, teary, fearful eyes on him. “I can't... I don't want him to leave again... The last time he lost a baby, he ran away from us...”

“Mom won't run”, whispered Atti determined, grabbing her brother's hand. “He won't.”

“And even if he would”, murmured Sander, running one hand through the blonde hair. “You still have us and your dad and your new siblings and the twins. You're strong, Fabi. So how about we go back and check on him? And on the babies. You have responsibility as big brother now, after all.”

 

/break\

 

Percy blinked sleepily. He had just drifted off into sleep as someone disturbed it. Half-closed sea-green eyes watched how Attina snuggled in between himself and Annabeth while Fabius crawled into the bed on Percy's other side, Grover making room for the boy even in his sleep. Nico grunted in his sleep and tightened his grip on his wife some. The twins were already curled together at the foot end of the bed. Poseidon and Triton were sleeping in the chairs next to the bed since the bed was already full, the baby-beds with the triplets between them. Ella sat on Tyson's lap, who slept in a chair on the other side of the bed, while Clarisse left as silent as possible, together with her kids, to get back to her husband. A sad smile spread over Percy's lips. He had the best family imaginable.


	20. Interlude X: Calm Storm

Interlude X: Calm Storm

 

Percy stood calmly, the wind whirling around him, ice-cold rain hitting everything but him. He was like the eye of a storm. Left from him walked his husband with Adella on his arm, Poseidon on Percy's right held Andrina, while Percy carried the third part of the triplets, Arista. Tyson and Ella were walking slightly behind them, with the twins between them, holding their hands. The group was led by Paul, who had his oldest grandchildren at his hands. All of them wore black, plain clothes, their eyes trained on the ground.

They reached their destination. A big, beautiful mausoleum made of dark blue marble. Instead of the typical stone angels, there were mighty pegasi guarding the entrance. In Greek letters the name Jackson was engraved over the mighty door. It was a building to last for eternity. Something Percy had decided that he wanted. A place for his lost family. For the ones he would outlive.

Paul opened the door slowly and their family entered. Tyson, Ella, Fabius, Attina and Paul were each carrying a beautiful bouquet of white lilies and roses. Inside, they walked up to the wall with the name plates of the members having their final rest here. Percy's fingers traced the letters of the different graves along, sadness filling his eyes.

_James Jackson, beloved brother, husband and father_

_Laura Jackson, born Lincoln, beloved wife and mother_

_Richard Jackson, beloved uncle_

_Sally Blofis, born Jackson, beloved wife, mother and grandmother_

_Sally Jackson, beloved daughter_

_Urchin Jackson, beloved son_

Percy heaved a sigh. His two lost children, laying to rest with his mother, grandparents and granduncle. He knew their souls rested in the underworld. He knew that this mausoleum didn't really mean anything. It was just for him, for his own... salvation.

“Mommy, will they come back to us?”, asked Alana, tugging on her mother's shirt.

The son of Poseidon blinked away some tears to look at the green-skinned girl. He gave her a strained smile and got into his knees to lock eyes with her.

“Yes”, replied Percy softly. “One day.”

She looked thoughtful for a second, before she nodded, deciding that her mother must have been right. Then she ran up to her twin-sister and her grandfather. Percy sighed as he stood again, shifting his daughter in his arm. The baby was deep asleep, babbling slightly as she was shifted.

“Are you alright, love?”, asked Poseidon in a low whisper.

His son frowned and shook his head, his eyes resting on his husband, who talked in hushed voices with their oldest children. Fabi had his by now rather long blonde hair bound together in his neck.

“No. I'm not alright. I miss them... so much”, whispered Percy and leaned back against his father's broad chest, turning his head to look at the sleeping face of Andrina in Poseidon's arm. “Thank you. For, you know... for this. For a solid place to come to.”

“Nothing would be too expensive for you, Percy”, replied Poseidon, kissing the top of Percy's head.

“Do you think this was a good idea...? Coming here with them?”, murmured Percy insecurely.

“I think it helps our son”, whispered Poseidon as lowly as possible.

He loved calling Fabius theirs. During the time Percy tried to retreat from him, Fabi was the link that connected them. Reminding Percy that Fabius was their son had made the Sea Prince rethink that if he wouldn't have been with Poseidon, then Fabi wouldn't exist. Poseidon had tried to spend as much quality time with the two as possible to bond. And it had helped. Percy smiled and leaned up to kiss Poseidon softly, smiling sadly into their kiss.

“Thanks for being here, dad”, murmured the son of Poseidon.


	21. Jealous Nature and Natural Jealousy

10\. Jealous Nature and Natural Jealousy

 

It was August, only four months after Nico's and Annabeth's wedding. The warmth of summer had already made room for the chilly autumn winds. Most campers that were no year rounders had already left for their homes again. The habitats of Cabin Three were also very busy packing.

“I hate when summer ends”, grunted Sander with a dark frown as he helped his best friend to pack everything, throwing a Little Mermaid pajama into the suitcase. “Most of the year sucks.”

“Oh come on, you have other friends aside from us”, scoffed the blonde next to him amused and nudged him. “You get along with like everyone at camp.”

“Yeah well, but everyone ain't you”, muttered the grandson of Hermes. “It's not like we're hiding our spare Fabs and Atti in the antic until you leave for autumn.”

He couldn't help himself, but the memory of his conversation with Fabi on the wedding still burned in his mind. That there was this merman who got to spend practically all year with his Fabi. His best friend Fabius, corrected Sander himself and shook his head. He was a bit confused by the possessiveness that had taken over him since he had learned about this. But he couldn't help himself. He dislike the notion greatly. Somehow he had believed to be the center of Fabi's life. Just like Fabi was the center of his life. Though knowing that this wasn't the case... it hurt. It hurt in such an unpleasant way, nearly like back when Fabi didn't talk with him.

“One may think you are jealous, Chrysander”, noted Attina with one raised eyebrow.

“Don't be stupid, Atti”, hissed the brunette and blushed slightly. “I just... think that it's unfair! I mean, we have to spend all year at camp while you get to roam the whole freaking sea!”

“My brother actually has a point there”, agreed Cally, who sat on top of the bed, watching them a bit bored. “I mean, it must be wickedly awesome to get to wrestle a shark or stuff...”

“Typical kid of war”, snorted Atti amused and rolled her eyes. “For your information, we don't wrestle sharks. We sometimes ride dolphins, yeah, but we don't wrestle sharks.”

“Sounds a bit lame, but I'd give it a try”, shrugged the daughter of Clarisse.

The figure leaning against the door-frame and observing them grinned broadly at that and made his way over to the Big House. It seemed a certain grandson of Hermes was getting pretty jealous here.

“Clarisse!”, exclaimed the silent observer with a broad smirk as he burst into the Big House.

“For the love of it, Jackson, just shut up!”, grunted the brunette woman a bit irritated.

She sat at the kitchen table and read the newspaper. Lifting her gaze off the written words, she glared at her intruding friend. For once, all her kids were out of the house and she didn't have anyone to train. She just wanted to enjoy that peaceful hour.

“You look stressed”, chuckled the son of Poseidon amused and sat down opposite of her.

“And you look very relaxed for having seven children at your heels”, grunted Clarisse with a suspicious frown. “My three are already driving me half insane.”

“What would you say then if I'd tell you that I have a way for you to have three months of peace?”

“I would tell you that they're too old to be given up for adoption”, muttered the daughter of Ares.

Percy laughed amused and shook his head. “Not what I've been talking about, War Princess. I mean, since Ally and Aqua go with Carry to New Rome to spend the autumn with Sammy, I thought... perhaps Cally and Sander would like to spend the autumn at the palace?”

“What palace?”, asked Clarisse confused and blinked a couple of times.

“My palace, dumbo”, chuckled Percy and rolled his eyes. “The underwater palace.”

“Sounds nice. Aside from the whole underwater-part”, snorted the brunette.

“I'm a god”, smirked the son of Poseidon and winked once. “I do have a little magic.”

Clarisse stared at him thoughtful for a little while before shaking her head. “I can't just send my kids off to the sea like that. It's dangerous. New. They have no idea what to do down there.”

“That's what I and my children are there for”, smiled Percy. “You should know that they're safe with me, girl. You kept mine safe during the summer too, after all.”

“Well... having a couple of months without them sounds kind of...”, Clarisse stopped herself and shook her head again. “Okay, okay, you win. Go and take them with you. Keep them.”

Percy smirked in delight and grabbed her hand. “Come on, let's tell them right away!”

“Not sure if that is a good idea yet”, muttered the daughter of Ares reluctantly.

“Just imagine one thing: Three months all to yourself. To yourself and Chris”, smirked Percy and winked slightly. “You could go on vacation somewhere romantic or stuff.”

“Okay, okay, okay”, sighed the daughter of Ares, nodding slowly.

The two mothers soon reached the Poseidon Cabin to watch their children's bickering.

“I would so win a fight against a shark!”, growled Calandra with wide gestures.

“You wouldn't stand a chance”, huffed the daughter of Perseus.

“Aside from the fact that we would never let you harm a poor shark!”, pouted Fabius.

“I can practically see you getting all Disney-princess over them”, snickered Sander from Fabi's bed, watching the girls arguing. “Singing with the sharks, dancing with the dolphins...”

“Shut up!”, yelped the blonde boy and blushed. “I don't get all Disney-princess!”

“You do, love”, chuckled Percy amused. “And that's nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Says Disney Princess Senior”, snickered Clarisse and elbowed the older son of Poseidon.

“Shut up!”, yelped Percy and glared at her.

“What was that about not being ashamed?”, grinned Fabi and stuck his tongue out.

“Be nice or I'll not give you your surprise”, chided the Sea Queen with a smirk.

“Surprise?”, piped both his children up with wide, longing eyes. “What surprise?”

“Like trained puppies”, snorted Clarisse amused.

“When I came by here earlier to fetch you, I heard the four of you talking”, hummed Percy with a smile. “So I went to talk to Clarisse about this. And we came to the conclusion that it would probably be a good thing for all of you.”

“What are you talking about, uncle Percy?”, asked Sander confused.

“Percy offered that you two rascals go swimming with the fishes for the autumn”, replied Clarisse.

“But... how should that be possible, mom?”, grunted Cally and raised one eyebrow.

“Your godfather is literally a god. Don't you think I have a trick or two up my sleeves too?”, chuckled Percy and winked at the kids playfully. “So... What do you say? Fancy a couple of weeks or so down in Atlantis, living in the castle... wrestling sharks?”

Two pair of big, begging brown eyes turned from Percy to Clarisse. “Mom? Can we go? Please?”

The daughter of war chuckled amused and rolled her eyes, nodding slowly. Chrysander and Calandra yelped gleefully and jumped her to hug her tightly, chanting their thanks.

“This is going to be a wickedly awesome autumn!”, exclaimed Sander and turned from his mom to his best friend, wrapping his arms around Fabi's midsection and whirling him around. “You will show me every interesting corner of Atlantis! This is brilliant!”

“Well, you two better get packed then so we can leave, mh?”, smiled Percy amused.

The children of Clarisse hastily ran past the adults to get their stuff packed. Percy looked a last time at his very gleeful daughter and his slightly flustered son before taking his friend's arm and guiding the brunette woman out of the cabin. Clarisse threw curious glances at him.

“What are you up to?”, asked the daughter of Ares once they reached the Big House again.

“I have no idea what you're talking to”, hummed Percy confused.

“Oh please”, snorted the brunette and rolled her eyes. “I've known you long enough. And I also know the gods long enough to see when they're up to something to have some fun. You have the same mischievous spark in your eyes like Lord Hermes when he had send Chris and me on a wild goose-chase throughout Europe for the fun of it.”

“But you had fun”, shrugged the son of Poseidon confused.

“It was on our freaking honeymoon, Jackson!”, growled Clarisse annoyed.

“Why are you two talking about our honeymoon?”, chuckled Chris amused, poking his head out of the living room as the two passed it. “Hey. I just came home. Something wrong?”

Clarisse smiled slightly and laid one arm around her husband's neck, pulling him into a soft kiss. “Nothing's wrong. We just decided to get rid of Cally and Sander for a while.”

“How so?”, asked the son of Hermes curiously, wrapping his arms around his wife's waist.

“Hello to you too, Chris”, chuckled Percy and shook his head. “I'll be taking them with me to the palace. I think it would do them some good to spend a bit time away from camp. I mean, they're teenagers now, I suppose it would be nice for them to leave home for a while. No kid their age likes to constantly be around their parents, eh?”

“What are you up to, Percy?”, grunted the son of Hermes with a frown.

“See!”, exclaimed Clarisse, glaring at the son of Poseidon. “And he tried to give me the innocent eyes and crap. I know he's up to something.”

“I've spend enough time with my siblings to know mischief when I see it”, snorted Chris.

“Okay, okay, okay”, sighed the green-eyed boy and bit his lips. “Maybe I want to set our sons up.”

“Maybe?”, snorted Clarisse ridiculed.

“Our sons?”, blinked Chris confused.

“Oh, really now, Chris”, grunted his wife and hit him upside the head. “You can't be that slow. Every time the Jacksons leave once summer is over, it's always Fabs this, Fabs that... It's like listening to an audio book version of summer all over again.”

“Well, yeah... Because they're best friends?”, shrugged the son of Hermes.

“And they call me slow”, snorted Percy and shook his head. “Our sons are totally into each other. Though I don't really think they've noticed it just yet. Fabi most likely got my genes there...”

“And Sander most likely doesn't really want to realize that he's gay... Some of the kids from my cabin have been giving a boy from Aphrodite Cabin a hard time for being 'a little fairy'”, muttered Clarisse with a dark frown. “They got into major trouble with me and Chiron for it, but I guess it makes others uncomfortable... Maybe spending time in the sea will help him?”

“But why now?”, asked Chris, still trying to wrap his head around the concept of his son being in love and him not having noticed that. “I mean, you never took them with you before.”

“Because they needed to stay in their own world until they're a bit more... stable”, shrugged Percy slowly. “As kids, it would have overwhelmed them. Now it would just be another adventure for them. And it would help me out quite a bit too.”

“How so?”, wanted the daughter of Ares to know.

“Fabi is fifteen now”, muttered the son of Poseidon, crossing his arms over his chest. “Mermaids and mermen are of mating age when they're sixteen. There are... suitors slowly gathering, hoping to get a better shot as soon as he's sixteen. He's the prince of Atlantis, the official heir of the king. Many want him. And some are... persistent. I think he is very much in love with Sander, but if he doesn't realize that soon, he may end up in quite a mess. The courting will only confuse him if he hasn't realized his own feelings by then. And there is one very, very persistent suitor. Neither my husband nor I approve of him. So...”

“So coming down to Atlantis would give Sander the chance to play knight in shining armor for Fabi and make him fall for him?”, chuckled Clarisse amused and shook her head. “You really spend too much time with Lady Aphrodite these days.”

“I know”, shrugged Percy casually. “But she makes brilliant tea and cakes.”

“So, back the main point”, interrupted Chris with a thoughtful expression on his face. “This means we will get time off out children? Like... privacy? Peace?”

“Vacation”, smirked Clarisse and leaned in to steal another kiss.

 

/break\

 

“Bye, mom, bye dad”, grinned Sander, hugging his parents.

“Be good. And whatever you do, be safe. And I mean, whatever”, warned Clarisse.

“Uh... sure?”, nodded the boy a bit confused.

“Have fun, kids!”, smiled Chris and waved at them as Sander ran up to the others.

Fabius, Attina, Percy and Cally were standing at the shore, in the shallow water, waiting for him impatiently. The son of Clarisse grinned the broadest grin possible as he caught up with them. He got to spend three months with his best friends and his very awesome uncle in the freaking underwater palace. This screamed adventure like nothing else ever before. It was his chance to become part of Fabs' life outside of camp, something he had wished for for so long long. It send a tingly feeling throughout it whole body. Though... no... it wasn't that. The tingling grew, making him shudder, settling on his legs. It felt weird. Really, really weird. And then he fell and yelped.

“Ouch”, muttered the boy with a frown and blinked a few times.

“You're a merboy, you're a merboy, you're really, really, really a merboy!”

The loud, joyful voice of his best friend pulled him out of his fuzzy thoughts blinking again, he turned to look at the other boy confused. Fabius was circling him like the ADHD merboy he was. His long, yellow tail whipping through the water, showing it's blue fin. Sander had to smile at that. He loved his best friend's true form. It made the other boy look so gracious and beautiful. Well, even more beautiful than he normally was.

“Oh yeah, I am so going to beat you at a race, bro”, smirked Cally next to him, bumping shoulders.

Sander blinked another couple of times before noticing the black double tails of his sister. His dark eyes wandered down his own body to see that he too had two tails. White as snow.

“What are you doing zooming out like that?!”, exclaimed Fabius next to him and grabbed his hand. “The girls have a head-start! Come on, or they'll be at the palace before us!”

Before Sander could voice his question, he got pulled beneath the surface, the water swirling around him as he swam in a speed unknown to him until then. At first he was reluctant to breath, but with the time it came natural to him to breath the water. It was a weird sensation and the hushed and whispered voices all around him weren't helping him much either.

“Fabs... do you... hear those voices too?”, whispered Sander unsure after a while.

“It's the fishes”, chuckled Fabius amused, locking eyes with him. “You always made fun of me for that. But now that you're a merboy yourself, you can hear them too. They're curious who you are.”

“The fishes... I'm... hearing the fishes...”, muttered Sander with a confused expression.

“Yeah, stop worrying about it”, laughed the blonde. “Better hurry, I can already see the palace!”

The brunette boy yelped slightly as he was pulled along even faster. The palace came closer and closer, with all it's mighty glory. It was the most amazing building he had ever seen. Or maybe that was because there were mermaids and mermen swimming around it, the water shimmering in different colors, fishes of the most amazing colors and forms everywhere, a garden of corals in front of it. The most beautiful thing he could ever imagine.

“Oh, so you decided to join us too?”, grinned Atti broadly as the boys reached them.

The two mermaids were sitting on a coral, both grinning broadly. Sander was panting hard, leaning against his best friend for support. Swimming like that, with tails, was something completely new.

“Wait”, muttered Sander and frowned, staring down at his tails. “Why do Cally and I have two tails, like uncle Triton, but you only have one tail?”

“Yeah, why's that?”, asked Cally, propping herself up with her arms.

The boys took a seat next to the girls, the Jackson siblings exchanging an amused look at that.

“But always making fun of me for not knowing much about humans”, chuckled Fabius and shook his head. “There are dominants and submissives. The dominants always have two tails, to hold onto their mate during mating, means of keeping them locked together, like the knot of a dog and stuff.”

“Someone has been paying close attention to the mating lessons from Bill”, smirked his sister.

Fabi blushed furiously and stuck his tongue out at his sister. Sander frowned, looking from his two tails, broader and probably stronger than Fabi's, to the single, sleek and longer tail of the smaller boy. He still wasn't quite sure what that was supposed to mean though.

“If that's the case, then why is Cally having two tails and why do you only have one tail even though you're a boy, Fabs?”, asked the still confused son of Clarisse.

“Because I'm a submissive, like mom”, replied Fabius in a well-duh voice.

“Merfolk is a bit more complicated than humankind”, smiled Percy as he caught up with them. “Their anatomy is different. Males can carry children just as well as females. That's where I got my ability from too. There are submissive males as well as dominant females.”

“That is... weird...”, muttered Sander and wiggled his nose.

“You humans are way more weird!”, snorted Fabi with a huff. “When a girl and a girl or a boy and a boy love each other, they can't even have children! You're far from perfect when it comes to evolution. Really now. And now come on, I'll show you my room!”

Percy shook his head amused, watching the four teenagers eagerly swimming off towards the entrance of the palace. He knew he had done the right thing, bringing the Rodriguez kids with him. It was the best for them all. A danger was coming. He wasn't quite sure what kind of danger or when, but after fighting three wars, he had a sense for that kind of danger. And even though Fabius still refused to talk to him about it, Percy still knew that nightmares were plaguing the boy. Though he knew his son, the blonde would come to him if he gave him some more time.

“What are you looking so melancholic for?”

“Oh? Dad, you're home”, smiled Percy and turned some.

“Of course. It's the day you return from camp. Wouldn't miss that”, replied Poseidon amused and walked up to his son, slowly wrapping his arms around Percy's waist. “I missed you, love.”

The son of Poseidon laughed softly. His father had been a great help after the loss of his baby boy. It had been hard for Percy, staying. His guts told him to run, to get his head cleared. Whenever he looked at the three baby girls, he had to think about the boy. How he would look now, how he would behave, how much he would love the child... Whenever those thoughts overwhelmed him, whenever he felt unable to even look at the triplets, his husband took over, taking care of the babies with the help of their older children. And Poseidon took care of him. Most of the times, the two of them left for the mausoleum together, just sitting there and talking about Sally mostly. It helped. Helped dealing with the grief, but it also helped rebuilding the trust between them. Not the easiest task, Percy still felt a bang of betrayal when remembering why Poseidon had done everything.

“Where are Triton and the girls?”, murmured the king's wife, resting his head against his father's shoulder. “Is he waiting inside with the babies?”

“They're... not here”, replied Poseidon, tightening his grip on Percy's waist.

“What is that supposed to mean?”, asked Percy with a frown.

“Amphitrite has given us a call a couple of days ago”, started the older god slowly, rubbing circles on his son's back. “She... wanted him to come over earlier. And to bring the babies.”

“What?”, wanted the former demi-god to know, stiffening some.

“It... seems she is growing lonely”, murmured the Sea God. “She wants to meet her grandchildren. It sounded a bit fishy to me, but Triton thought a try couldn't hurt.”

“Oh”, nodded the younger god slowly.

“That leaves only... you, me and Atti and Fabi”, whispered Poseidon a bit tense.

It was making him a little nervous. He was practically alone with Percy, something that happened very rare the past few years. If they got intimate, then Triton was with them too. It was as if Percy wasn't feeling safe when he was alone with Poseidon. Because he didn't trust his father anymore. And really, the older god couldn't blame him. So now he was concerned that Percy was forced to spend time alone with him. But he was also giddy to have the beautiful boy all to himself.

“Not completely. I kind of... brought someone with me...”

Though before Poseidon could ask what the eternal teen was talking about, he saw the four children swimming out of Fabius' window, laughing and talking loudly. The Sea God blinked surprised.

“Are those Clarisse's children...?”, asked Poseidon slowly. “But...”

“Well”, hummed Percy with a wicked half-smirk, one that went down right to his father's groin, making the older god shiver. “Since Glaucus is showing so awfully much interest in Fabi and we don't want that, I thought I'd offer Sander the possibility to court him too... Or don't you approve?”

“You're asking me?”, muttered the god and blinked a few times.

“He is your son, dad”, smiled the son of Poseidon amused and tilted his head.

They both knew that, but they didn't really talk about it. It was safer for Fabius to believe to be the son of Triton, he was legally seen, after all. And Poseidon didn't bother with it really, Triton was a good father, to all of them. And the role of the grandfather was much more fun anyway.

“Well, I suppose...”, started Poseidon and coughed a few times. “Chrysander is a good, honorable lad. He got his mother's fighting spirit and a kind heart. More faithful than Glaucus, that much is for sure. And we know he's not interested in our son because of his status.”

“I know”, grinned Percy pleased, cuddling closer. “I want to see our son happy.”

“Me too, love, me too”, whispered Poseidon, burying his nose in the soft, black hair.

 

/break\

 

Sander huffed, the broadest grin possible on his face, as he jumped his best friend, wrapping his arms around the blonde's neck and his tails around the yellow tail, holding him. The smaller merboy yelped at that, trying to free himself. Their sisters laid on the floor, laughing loudly.

“Got you! I told you I'd always find you”, smirked the son of Clarisse.

They had been playing tag and Sander had found them all. Though holding Fabius send an entirely new sensation through him. The brunette wasn't sure what it meant. He sure didn't have that with his sister. And also not with Attina. But being that close to Fabi...

“Oh! Who is that?”, giggled a new voice. “Fabius got himself a strong merman!”

“Nice, nice! Handsome young lad”, giggled another voice.

“Shut up, you two!”, yelped Fabius, turning a bright red. “And you, let go!”

“Loreley! Atargatis! Great, you have to meet our friends!”, exclaimed Attina excitedly.

Sander turned some, attentively, but instinctively tightening his grip on his blonde. The blonde. Shaking his head, he tried to sort his thoughts. Those were the two friends Fabius had told him about. The Atlantis versions of him and his sister. Atargatis and Loreley.

“Hi, I'm Calandra Rodriguez. That's my brother, Chrysander. Nice to meet you.”

“I'm Atargatis”, smiled a beautiful blonde mermaid, still giggling.

“And my name's Loreley”, grinned the brunette mermaid next to her with a heavy German accent.

Both of them were giggling like little girls, pointing their fingers at Sander and Fabius. Which kind of made the brunette merboy even more protective of the prince in his arms.

“For the gods' sake, let go of me, Chrysander”, growled the deeply flustered son of Poseidon.

Sander frowned at the harsh tone and let go of the smaller male at once. “Why? What's wrong? You never get that irritated when we cuddle otherwise!”

“Oh, so you cuddle more often?”, giggled Loreley, elbowing Fabius. “ _Dein Märchenprinz_?”

“Shut your stupid mouth”, hissed Fabi, blushing some darker.

“And you”, accused the blonde female with a smirk, poking Sander's chest. “Have no idea about mating. How can a merboy your age be that clueless? Haven't you learned yet?”

“Because we're humans”, grunted Cally defensively, pulling her brother away from her.

She didn't like it when anyone was making fun of her twin. Well, anyone aside from her.

“Oh. The human friends?”, grinned Atargatis, twirling her blonde her around her fingers.

“Yeah, mom turned them”, nodded Attina eagerly. “But they still have no idea about our society yet. So we have to teach them. You two going to help us?”

“How could we say no?”, smirked Loreley. “This sounds like fun. Like much, much fun!”

“Lesson number one!”, exclaimed the blonde, clapping both her hands once. “Mating!”

The Jackson siblings giggled with slight blushes, huddled together on a brightly pink coral, Loreley standing in front of them with a mock-serious expression on her marvelous features. Sander admired her beauty for about ten seconds before turning his attention back to Fabius. He grabbed his sister's hand and pulled her with him to sit together with their friends.

“The act of mating, most of the times consumed for fun these days”, smiled Loreley. “It happens between a dominant and a submissive. A dominant is-”

“Yeah, okay, we got that part”, interrupted Sander, blushing a bit. “Uncle Percy explained.”

“Good”, nodded Atargatis. “The dominant holds onto their submissive during the mating, to ensure that they stay close and locked, making the impregnation easier. And the way you just held Fabius was kind of exactly how it's done. Two tails wrapped around one.”

“You mean it's like a... sex position?”, squealed Sander undignified and blushed furiously.

“I suppose you could call it that, yes”, nodded Loreley thoughtful. “Though you two look cute together. You'd make an excellent couple of mates. And you'd make some cute guppies.”

“Loreley, you're out of line again”, grunted Atargatis with a disapproving glare.

“Just picturing the future”, shrugged the brunette mermaid innocently. “Since the Germans robbed me off my favorite pastime I get bored easily. And if I can't tempt some sailors, I want to at least have some fun with other easily flustered humans.”

“I am not your entertainment system”, growled Sander irritated.

“No quarreling”, interrupted Attina annoyed. “I've always wanted for our best friends to meet. And now that you did, you will get along very well. Am I clear?”

“Yes, mam”, nodded the others obediently.

“Good”, grinned the daughter of Perseus and nodded pleased. “And now... A tour through Atlantis!”

“Oh yes”, agreed Loreley eagerly. “There is the human museum, they will have fun in that one!”

“A human museum?”, chuckled Cally curiously. “Well then, lead the way, fish girls.”

The four girls swam off, talking animatedly. Fabius turned to Sander with a bright smile and grabbed his hand to pull him along. The normally human boy felt as if his shoulder would dislodge if they kept doing that. But he liked holding Fabi's hand, so it was probably alright.

 

/break\

 

“That was pretty amazing! What next?”, asked Calandra eagerly.

She swam in circles around her friends' heads, looking left and right for something else to do. Loreley soon joined her in her eagerness, starting to babble about one thing or another. Attina on the other hand stretched some and yawned. The day had been exhausting. It was as if they had swam throughout the whole city in the past few hours. The princess sighed and leaned against Atargatis, the blonde mermaid re-doing her make-up with a little pocket-mirror hidden in a shell.

“Where are the boys anyway?”, asked Attina with a frown, looking around.

“Sucking faces somewhere?”, giggled Loreley. “Or maybe... something else...”

“Shut your dirty mouth, Loreley”, warned the princess sternly. “You're talking about my baby brother here! And besides, they're not doing stuff like that. Come on, let's search for them. Maybe they got lost or something like that?”

“Shouldn't your brother know his way around here?”, snorted Cally and followed. “Come on, they were keeping us back anyway. They'll be fine, don't you worry. I don't want to waste time on searching for our useless brothers. I want to see more!”

“I completely agree”, nodded Loreley. “You have to see the crystal cave and the pearl palace in the north and the wittered wreck of the sunken ship!”

“Sounds fantastic. I want to see. Come on now, Atti. Don't be a spoil spot!”

The pigtailed girl looked thoughtful for a second, turning to stare at the museum once more before shrugging. Her brother really should be fine. And Sander too, as long as he stuck with Fabius. Perhaps spending some alone time may help those two dense idiots.

“Okay fine, the crystal cave it is”, chuckled the princess and caught up with the other girls.

 

/break\

 

“I... kind of think we lost the girls”, muttered Sander, looking from a bathtub over to a display case with a broken watch, a fork and a half DVD. “Haven't seen them in a while.”

“Oh, they'll be fine. They've been here plenty of times”, replied Fabius, not worried a bit. “We'll see them back at the palace for dinner if we don't find them now. Not a problem.”

“Then it's only us”, grinned the brunette. “Without the annoying chattering.”

“Yeah”, grinned the prince back.

They were still holding hands. Somehow he hadn't noticed. But... he really didn't want to let go. It was as if it was against his nature to let go of Fabius, as if he had to... he wasn't sure what it was.

“Fabius, how curious to meet you here.”

Azure blue eyes widened in surprise and the boy smiled. A smile that didn't quite sit right with Sander. At least not as long as someone else caused it. The two boys turned around to face the owner of the deep, dark voice. A merman, probably mid-twenty, at least from the looks of it, though with knowing the gods, Sander long since had stopped trusting that. Tall, dark, handsome, with just the right amount of bad boy charm to make parents disapprove and knees go weak.

“Glaucus!”, exclaimed Fabius with a smile and let go of Sander's hand to hug the stranger.

Great. So the ancient hero was an eye candy. So not what Sander had hoped for. His eyes darkened and he growled slightly. It took him all his will to not pull Fabius off the other merman and hug him as close as possible. Though since he now knew that this was inappropriate, he was even more confused and annoyed at himself.

“Who is your friend over there, my prince?”, asked Glaucus with a victorious smirk.

“That's Sander”, grinned the son of Perseus broadly. “You know, my Sander. The one I've been telling you about. Auntie Clarisse's son.”

Sander's heart fluttered in an odd way upon being called Fabi's. He tried to push the feeling away and concentrate on the rival. The other merman, he meant. Being transformed into a merboy really screwed with his head. He hoped it would settle once he had a good night's sleep.

“Very nice to meet you, Chrysander Rodriguez. Fabius has been talking about you quite a lot.”

“He did? Well, he scarcely mentioned you”, grunted Sander with a glare.

The two dominants locked eyes, silently competing without their object of affection noticing. “I've just been showing San around. Would you like to join us? I'm sure you know one or two secret and awesome places. Yes, please?”

The biggest, most begging azure-blue eyes possible turned toward Glaucus. And even though Sander knew the older former mortal disliked the mere idea of sharing Fabi's attention with someone else just as much as Sander himself disliked it, the brunette also knew that it was completely impossible to deny those deep, blue eyes.

“It would be my pleasure, my prince”, smiled Glaucus and kissed Fabius' hand.

 

/break\

 

Poseidon sat on his bed, a book on his lap, reading it. Though he seemed unable to concentrate. His thoughts kept going back to his sons. Triton, who tried to fix his relationship with his mother and dearly wanted her approval of his children. Fabius, who was torn between suitors even without knowing it. And Percy, who... was just being Percy.

“Are you asleep yet, dad?”, whispered a soft voice.

The Sea God frowned and turned to look at the door, where Percy was standing curiously. “No?”

“Oh. Good”, smiled the son of Sally and sneaked into the bedroom. “You mind... if I join you?”

A cute blush took over the sun-kissed cheeks as the male queen swam up to the bed. Poseidon frowned slightly at that, slowly nodding, not sure what Percy wanted. They hadn't shared a bed in years, at least not his. Most of the times Triton called him to the couple's bedroom to share Percy. In the last couple of months, the invitation had often come from Percy too, but he had still not come to Poseidon on his own. Not into his bed, at least.

“How could I mind, my love?”, chuckled Poseidon, pushing the blanket back.

“It's just... our bed is so... big and empty without Triton”, murmured the flustered ruler of Atlantis. “I just... can't fall asleep there. I mean, sure, I don't have Triton with me at camp too. But that bed I got at camp is so tiny, I'm enough company to myself there. Though our bed is... too big...”

“You're very welcomed to stay with me”, smiled the Sea God, trying to cover his excitement.

Percy crawled under the sheets, snuggling up to his father, who eagerly wrapped one arm around his back. Resting his head on Poseidon's chest, the former demi-god closed his eyes.

“You think Sander and Fabi will be okay?”, yawned the son of Poseidon.

“Why shouldn't they?”, grunted the older god and put his book away. “It certainly is all very new to Chrysander at the moment, but with a little luck, he will learn to understand his instincts and also to interpret them. He will see and understand. And we may gain a son-in-law, mh?”

“Amusing idea”, chuckled Percy and rubbed his eyes. “Though first they have to stand strong...”

There was a solemn and grave tone to his voice, one that made Poseidon shiver in fearful anticipation. It was new, unusual for the former Sea Prince. And Poseidon didn't like it.

“What do you mean?”, asked the god with a frown. “Percy? What do you mean?”

But his son was already deep asleep, cuddling some closer to the older god. Poseidon chuckled and leaned down to place a kiss on top of his young lover's head. Maybe this would be the last thing he needed to get his beloved Percy back. Not that he was glad that Fabius was having such a complicated love life, but those difficulties were drawing Percy and Poseidon back together.

 

/break\

 

Sander groaned and turned and turned again. He could not, not for the life of him, fall asleep. Half floating through the water was so not his thing. He needed gravity! Turning again, he stared over at the sleeping face next to him. A grin tugged on his lips at that. Since they had arrived so suddenly, the maidens needed some time to prepare rooms for Cally and Sander, so the royal siblings took them in for the first night. And here he was, laying on the bed right next to Fabius. The blonde was deeply asleep, a serene smile on his lips. His so very rosy lips. They looked so temptingly soft. Sander lifted a hand and ran his thumb subconsciously over them. Yep. They were just as soft as they looked. His hand wandered over to caress the floating blonde hair. Fabius hummed in his sleep and scooted closer until he was pressed against Sander, his tail sneaking between Sander's as if he was seeking protection in his sleep. Slowly, sleep was claiming the trickster as he felt Fabi so close.


	22. Interlude XI: Reassuring Realization

Interlude XI: Reassuring Realization

 

Fabi looked cautiously left and right before leaving his room. No one was awake. Well, it was the middle of the night after all. He slowly swam outside, following the halls. He had another nightmare. And normally, he would sneak into his parents' room to cuddle with his mom. But his mom was sleeping in his grandpa's room ever since they had returned because his dad was still visiting grandma 'Trite. He wasn't sure why, but he somehow had the feeling that she didn't like him very much. Well, even less than his siblings. But if she was coming around and willing to meet the triplets, perhaps she may start liking him too? Oh, that was wishful thinking. But he had always loved his grandma Sally. And ever since she had died, he had wished to meet Amphitrite.

Anyway, he was losing track of his thoughts again. Since his mom was spending the nights with his grandpa, he didn't want to disturb them. He was too glad that they were finally getting along again. And since Calandra and Chrysander were still with them – a whole month of showing their best friends around, which was probably the most awesome thing ever – he decided to do what he always did at camp. Sneaking into Sander's bed. Besides, he somehow... felt even safer with his best friend. Safer than with his... mother. Fabius froze, with the doorknob in his hand, his eyes widening.

“You going to stand there all night?”, yawned a sleepy voice from within. “Come on in, I'm tired...”

The blonde shook his head and entered fully. Sander was laying in his 'uber-mega-damn big bed', as he had phrased it when he had first seen it, lifting the blanket for Fabi to sneak in.

“Thanks”, mumbled the prince and blushed slightly.

“No prob”, muttered Sander, wrapping his arms around his best friend's waist to hold him securely and safe. “I'd still prefer for you to talk to your mom about these nightmares though...”

Fabius turned slightly, resting his head over Sander's heart, listening to the drumming sound, the pumping of the organs as it pulsed the blood, the water, through Sander's body. It sounded nice, it made such a beautiful melody. The blonde could listen to it all day and night, it was such a reassuring song. He instinctively sneaked his tail between Sander's tails. There was no place on this planet he felt more protected than in Sander's arms. And he now realized why exactly...

“San?”, whispered the prince softly.

“Mh, what's up, Fabs?”, frowned the sleepy boy, one hand nestled in Fabi's blonde hair.

“You know I'll turn of age in eight months, right?”, mumbled the blonde.

“You're only turning sixteen, that's not a big deal”, snorted Sander.

“It is! For merpeople at least”, protested the son of Poseidon.

“Okay, so what's the big deal?”, asked Chrysander confused.

“It means... well, that... do... dominants could... uh... court me...”, mumbled the flustered prince.

“Court you?”, repeated Sander slowly, his tails tightening around Fabi's on reflex.

“Yeah”, nodded Fabi, even more red now. “It's important. We merpeople can't just go around and date anyone or stuff like that. The dominants have to properly court the submissives and impress their parents to get their approval. That's really, really important in our society.”

“Okay...”, nodded Sander, not quite sure where his best friend was getting with this.

“And if more dominants want to court the same submissive then they fight...”, continued Fabius, not bothered by his best friend's confusion. “When I'll turn sixteen, Glaucus will start courting me. I'm not stupid, I know why he's constantly hanging around. And... he... uh... sees you as a rival. So he'll most likely ask you to duel him.” Fabi blushed and leaned up, pecking Sander's lips so fast that the other boy briefly wondered if he'd only imagined it. “I want you to win.”

Sander stared down at him surprised, making Fabi fear rejection, but instead the grip on his waist tightened. “I will, don't you worry. There's no way I'd let him get you. You're mine, you've always been mine. You're my best friend and my world. He's not taking you away from me.”


	23. The Questioned Best Mate and the Quest for the Best Mate

11\. The Questioned Best Mate and the Quest for the Best Mate

 

It was the very end of May, which meant exactly one thing: Fabius Jackson, prince of Atlantis, was officially off age. The blonde had celebrated his birthday the biggest way possible, his dad had thrown such an awesome party, even beating Attina's birthday the year before. Which was kind of a real big deal and had the blonde worried that his sister may be angry. But they knew that he was _the prince_. Attina had always made a point of clearing the matter that she was in fact not interested in ever taking the throne under whatever reasons there may be. Which left Fabi the real next heir.

Which made his off age party gigantic. All Olympians, most minor gods and everyone with a name from Atlantis was present and Glaucus was heavily hitting on him all night long.

Which had made Fabius extremely upset. Because eight months ago, he had kind of practically admitted to Sander that he liked him, but the son of Clarisse and Chris had not done  _anything_ . The next day they woke, he kind of had hoped to be woken by a kiss or something, but nothing. Chrysander treated him the exactly same as before. So the blonde thought that maybe... well, Sander was most likely not interested in him like that and gave Fabius the chance to just pretend his confession had never happened so they could stay friends.

“Hey, princess”, hummed a voice close to his ear curiously. “Why are you looking down?”

Fabi blinked away some tears and looked up at the three mermaids that swam up to him. Loreley sat down right to him, nudging him softly. Atargatis took a seat to his left, one eyebrow raised curiously while she braided her golden-blonde hair. And his big sister floated in front of him.

“You know, for someone one day becoming the queen, you're really looking upset”, commented Attina with a frown. “I thought we had talked this through. I don't want the responsibility and you said you wanted to one day be a good ruler or stuff. I mean, if you're not up to it... I'll go and talk to father with you, mh? No need to look so... depressed. I don't like it when you're looking depressed, Fabi, you're my baby brother.”

“It's not that, Atti”, replied Fabius and shook his head. “You know I love Atlantis. And I promised dad. I mean, he and mom want to travel too and see other places, he told me there are plenty things in the sea he wants to show mom. I'm okay with being his heir. You know, ruling when he's away with mom and stuff. That's... I like that... it's just the... well...”

“The fact that Glaucus is practically stalking you since your birthday while your dreamboy is back on the surface since October and hasn't called at all?”, asked Atargatis casually.

“You mean... Sander really hasn't even called? Not even at your birthday?”, asked Attina and blinked. “Cally had mentioned that he's behaving odd since they returned home, but... Say, did anything happen between the two of you?”

“Well, no, I mean, kind of, I don't know”, shrugged Fabi helplessly and sighed, hanging his head.

“So you kissing me is nothing then?”

The blonde blinked wide-eyed, first looking at the three mermaids who were grinning at him broadly, then past them... To see his parents and grandparents grinning just as broadly. Triton, Amphitrite, Percy and Poseidon parted to reveal the Rodriguez-twins. Cally swam past the adults right away to hug her best friend and whirl the oldest Jackson around.

“Damn, I missed you, fish girl!”, grinned the granddaughter of war. “You too, princess.”

“Thanks, Cally”, muttered Fabi and rolled his eyes, though then he froze. “What... are you doing here and what are you talking about and what is going on here?”

Though his brain wasn't quite ready to process anything. Because Sander was a merboy and he was looking mouthwatering. Though that was probably his heat that had started with his birthday... But wait, no. Sander really looked... more mouthwatering than before. The son of Clarisse had never been much of a fighter, leaving quests and stuff to his sister and partaking in pranks rather than those. But the brunette was sprouting quite the impressive sixpack there and his arms were... Wow, Fabi wasn't sure, but he'd bet it just got hotter in the ocean.

“Since Glaucus asked for an audience today to get our permission to, well, get you... I thought it's time to bring Sander back”, smiled his mother and ruffled his hair.

“But... What is the meaning of this?”, asked the blonde completely confused.

He looked questioningly at his mom, dad, grandpa and grandma. The goddess smiled at him amused, which confused him only more. He liked grandma Amphitrite and was glad that ever since his dad and the triplets had been visiting her, she had started to slowly bond with her other grandchildren too. But he wasn't really sure what she was doing here now.

“I've spend quite some time with young Chrysander to teach him all the customs of our people and prepare him for what he would have to do to court you”, replied his grandmother.

“Since you would have noticed when your grandpa, me or your dad would have been constantly away, I asked her for some help earlier this year”, smiled Percy. “Though the first who asked for help had been Sander. Right after that kiss from you. He came to me quite desperate about what to do. It was really adorable.”

“Uncle Percy!”, whined Sander and blushed slightly before swimming up to Fabi and wrapping his arms around the smaller male's waist to pull him into a hug. “I spend the last eight months training. Every single day. To become strong enough to beat Glaucus. And also to become a strong enough mate for your. And Lady Amphitrite truly helped me out with what I'd have to watch...”

“But... But you haven't reacted at all when I practically confessed my love to you!”, objected Fabi.

“Yeah”, snorted the brunette with a scolding glare. “Because you confessed that you like me the way I have liked you for years now, but tell me in the same breath that I'm not even allowed to kiss you technically before you're off age. How was I supposed to behave? I can't just hold hands with you and know you're practically mine but not kiss you or...”

“You better stop right there, young man”, warned Triton with a frown. “Too much information.”

“Right”, mumbled the mortal-turned-merboy and blushed again. “Sorry, sir. Well, anyway... I... did everything I could possibly do to ensure that I can make you mine. It was a great help that your family is so supportive though.”

“What can I say?”, grinned Percy and shrugged. “I've known you're meant to be way before you two realized what was going on. How could I possibly not help you then?”

“Does this... really mean you're here to... to court me?”, whispered Fabius wide-eyed. “To... to...”

“To make you mine”, whispered the brunette with a grin. “Yes. Like I promised. You've always been mine and you will always be mine, Fabs. No ancient godly hero will change that.”

“I still have my money on you getting your ass kicked, brother”, called Cally amused.

“Shut it, Cally”, growled the brunette irritated, pulling his prince some closer, inhaling deeply.

His growl changed, from angry to... content. His face softened and his grip tightened even more. Fabi blushed but snuggled into the tight embrace nonetheless.

“You... should probably let go of me, San”, mumbled the blonde reluctantly. “I can hear, see and _feel_ that my pheromones are taking effect on you.”

“Right. Your heat. Your grandma explained that”, nodded Sander, blushing again.

He reluctantly pushed the prince off. Amphitrite had explained that to him. When a mermaid or a merboy became off age and had valid suitors courting them, then their bodies started producing pheromones to signal the suitors that they were ready. And Fabius really smelled ready.

“Well then, where is that guy? I'm ready to kick his... huh, he doesn't have an ass I could kick.”

 

/break\

 

Percy smiled pleased as he took his place on his throne next to his husband. Right to him sat Amphitrite, eying the throne room a bit skeptically.

“I really don't like what you did with the room, Perseus”, stated the goddess. “It's so blue.”

“It's an underwater palace, blue fits, Amphy”, grunted Percy and stuck his tongue out at her.

He enjoyed that he finally got along with the goddess. Though he most likely had to thank the god Palaimon for that. The two of them had started dating about a year ago and ever since then, she had realized that she had truly not been very happy with Poseidon anymore. Though Percy had still been quite reluctant when she had approached Triton and wished to meet her grandchildren. But since the male queen knew exactly how deep a bond between mother and child ran with the sea-deities, he also guessed that a bond with grandchildren was quite strong too. So he had allowed it reluctantly. And in the course of the last eight months, their relationship had truly turned for the better. She even had agreed to help Percy, Triton and Poseidon with Percy's plan to set Sander up with Fabi. Though that was mostly because she wanted to come down on her brother Glaucus.

The four mermaids sat down on the floor in front of the throne, giddily watching the three mermen standing in front of them. In the middle was Fabius, flushed the brightest coral pink Percy had seen in his entire life, with Glaucus kneeing on one side of him and Sander on the other. Behind them stood others, maybe two or three dozen of strong mermen and even a few dominant females, all hoping to get a shot at the quest that awaited the suitors for the young, gorgeous prince. Oh, his son was truly the most adorable thing he had ever seen. It was good Percy had secretly started to give some of his herbs to Fabi for the past two weeks already, because the way both Sander and Fabi were reacting to each other, he was pretty sure none of them were thinking of protection and he really didn't want to be called 'grandma' any time soon.

“Stop grinning like a little maniac, love”, whispered Triton with a frown.

“Aw, but you love it”, grinned Percy and leaned up to kiss him.

Ally and Aqua were at Paul's and the triplets were with Nico and Annabeth, because Annabeth really wanted for her first-born daughter to be best friends with her best friend's daughters. And since little Bianca Hazel di Angelo was four months now, it was time to introduce her to her future best friends. Percy didn't mind, the three girls were quite the hand full and he was glad to have a peaceful minute once in a while. And he feared that this fight may end bloody. Nothing for the younger ones. Though it seemed it was indeed great entertainment for the teenagers.

Triton coughed, catching the attention of his mate as well as the suitors for their son. “Well?”

“King Triton, Queen Perseus, I, Lord Glaucus, savior of the sailors and fishermen, am here to ask your permission to court your heir, Prince Fabius”, started Glaucus, bowing a bit deeper as he addressed the royals. “I promise to cherish him and rule wisely at his side, to respect him as my queen and gift you with many grandchildren.”

Fabi's blush darkened even more, if possible, making Percy chuckle a bit wickedly. He didn't mean to be mean, but he just recalled his own wedding with Triton. It had been quite the shock how many children the merman had expected from him right away. But Fabi knew, had known from the day he had agreed to become their official heir, that he would one day have to bear many legal heirs to the throne, as was the duty of the queen. But he was sure his son would be fine and would one day be a good mother. He had the right genes for that, after all. Sally Jackson all the way.

“Glaucus”, grunted Triton with a short nod. “I acknowledge your heroic deeds of the past and your status as god and accept your courtship of my son.”

“So do I”, agreed Percy and bit his lips.

He actually didn't. Because he disliked Glaucus greatly. But the other was a strong hero, a god and widely known in Atlantis and beyond. He was what others would deem a good catch. So they had, as Fabi's parents, to agree to the courtship. This didn't stop Percy from being Team Sander.

“K... King Triton, Queen Perseus”, started Sander a bit nervously, looking up at his godfather and godmother worried. “I, Chrysander Rodriguez, may not have godhood or overly heroic deeds to present to you. I'm not even a demi-god or a merman, but... I have something more important to offer. I came here today to ask for your permission to court your son, Prince Fabius. I promise him my eternal love and loyalty. I'm still young, I had no chance to prove myself as a great hero yet, but I can promise you that any future quest or heroic deed I will do will be in the name of Fabius, for everything I do, I will do it to prove to you that I am worthy of your son. I will do my best to rule at his side and like your wife the queen, so will I provide a human perspective to the leadership over Atlantis. I... uh... I will also gift you with many grandchildren, if that is what your son wants too.”

Oh yes, it was possible for Fabi's blush to deepen. Percy bit his lower lip hard, trying to not laugh out loud, but he had never seen those blue eyes that wide. The blonde was most likely picturing himself pregnant with Sander's kids at the moment.

“Chrysander”, smiled Percy softly. “I acknowledge you as a hero. Even though you belittle yourself here a bit, I acknowledge you as the slayer of Medusa and the tamer of the Hydra. I acknowledge your heroic deeds of the past and anticipate those yet to come. I grand you permission to court my only son and legal heir the prince.”

“So do I”, grunted Triton with a short nod.

“Which brings us to a tie”, muttered Poseidon with a displeased frown. “As the ancient rules have it, the submissive in question may chose the category for the duel between his suitors.”

Percy looked over at his father and bit his lips. They had talked this through already and Poseidon was less than pleased. He was just as worried for their son as Percy. What if Sander failed? The boy may be cunning and nice and after his months of training even strong, but Glaucus was a god and had thousands of years more experience. Poseidon feared the heartbreak their son may have to face.

Sighing slightly, the son of Sally Jackson turned back to face his son and his son's suitors. Which instantly made him frown. The blonde was grinning very mischievously, not looking worried the least bit. That boy was up to something too. And that frightened Percy as much as it made him proud. No, it overall frightened him actually. Fabius was a full Jackson and their plans were widely known to be the most ridiculous and reckless ones. But they also never failed.

“I want a quest”, smirked the blonde, crossing his arms over his chest. “Whoever brings me what I want first will be in my favor. I want you to steal Hades' boxershorts. Without any god in the underworld noticing. If you get caught, you failed.”

There were about five minutes of utter silence in the throne room before Percy regained his senses. “What in the world kind of quest is that supposed to be, Fabi?”

The youngest son of Poseidon blinked innocently and looked up at his mother. “When I was small, uncle Nico used to tell me that the worst souls get to be woven into uncle Hades' underwear. I want to see that for myself. It's my decision, you said so yourself, mother.”

Three pair of sea-green eyes were blinking at him surprised before his parents exchanged a look.

“Very well”, nodded Triton, coughing again. “Do you accept the quest?”

“I do”, chorused Sander and Glaucus, a bit unsure of what they had just gotten themselves into.

“You can use any weapons or trickery you want, but no active help from any god, demi-god or other heroes”, smiled Fabi broadly. “I wish you luck. Oh, and return before sunset.”

Both dominants nodded obediently and swam out of the throne room, already trying to think of a valid plan to fulfill that practically impossible quest. The other bystanders left too, also wanting to try their luck. A quest was open, it was the chance for those who would most likely not have stood a chance in a direct competition of status, giving even the 'small' merman a chance to compete with a god. But Fabi really had chosen his quest well. After all, how do you steal the underwear of the death god? Percy frowned after them before staring expectantly at his son.

“Well? Do you have anything to say about this, young man?”

“It's perfect”, grinned the blonde and threw himself at his mother, cuddling close to the queen. “I mean, even if San trained in the past half year, he would still stand no chance against Glaucus in any race or fight. I appreciate that he trained for me, but I don't want to risk him losing this.”

The older son of Poseidon smiled as he realized what his son had done. Ruffling the blonde hair, he chuckled amused. Cally had always been more of the Ares-side of the family while her twin was a total Hermes when it came to certain traits. A quest to steal something was his best shot.

“But why exactly does it have to be my brother's underwear?”, grunted Poseidon with a frown. “I will never hear the end of this, Fabius!”

“Because it gives San a home advantage”, grinned Fabi broadly, obviously proud of himself. “I know that Aris, EJ and Andi are currently visiting uncle Nico and auntie Annabeth in the underworld. They're like detectors for living beings. But they know San so they won't start wailing right away when they see or feel him. Because I did say that they automatically lose if they get caught by a god. And my sisters _are_ gods. And they'd alert uncle Nico or aunt Annabeth or uncle Hades or aunt Persephone. Which means those not sneaky enough are out right away. And then they still have to get to uncle Hades' underwear somehow.”

“But I even doubt Hermes would be able to do that”, muttered Poseidon, still frowning, and shook his head. “I really don't know what you've been thinking there, Fabius.”

“I think Hermes would only fail because he lacks the right motivation”, grinned Percy, hugging his son close. “I'm proud of you, Fabs. But now come, we'll visit your uncle Leo. He got the right entertainment system to watch this quest.”

“Yes!”, chorused Attina, Calandra and Fabius delighted.

 

/break\

 

Sander frowned darkly as he re-surfaced again. It had only just started and he already had a disadvantage. Glaucus was a god, he could simply teleport himself into the underworld. While Sander had no freaking idea how to get there without a god's help. Uncle Nico had always taken him until now. A curious whining from above caught his attention.

“Skippy! I'm glad to see you... Oh. Oh! Oh, I'm really glad to see you!”, grinned San broadly.

He somehow managed to pull himself up onto the peanut colored pegasus, his two tails transforming back to legs as he broke the surface. This was exactly what he needed. Fabi had only said no help from god's or their hero-descendants. Nothing about pets.

“Bring me to camp. As fast as you can”, whispered the brunette, clinging to his pegasus.

The Roman pegasus whining in agreement and sped off into one direction. It was good he was there, because Sander wouldn't even have been able to point into the right direction... Okay, so all he needed for now was getting to the shore. And then he needed to borrow something from aunt Katie's garden at camp. She wouldn't mind, she was with uncle Malcolm on vacation anyway.

Sander's stomach knotted with every minute their journey took. He only had time until sunset and this was wasting his very, very precious time! And every minute he spend flying was a minute Glaucus and those other horny merpeople had to get closer to the prize. He would not allow any of them to get what was rightfully his. Fabi had always been his, always been the center of his world. But he had never understood what that meant or why that was the case. Until the blonde had kissed him. He still berated himself for being so stupid and not realizing it earlier. Fabi was _his_.

“Thanks, Skippy”, smiled the brunette as they finally landed at Camp Half-Blood.

The pegasus whined and for a split second, the boy was sure that Skippy would have said 'I'm Team Sander anyway, of course I'd help', but he was most likely just spending too much time with Fabs... Jumping off the be-winged horse, he raced off to the cabins of the oldest gods, first stopping on front of the Demeter cabin to check Katie's garden. It was the most beautiful garden he had ever seen, at least above the sea. He grinned broadly as he snatched what he had wanted. She certainly wouldn't mind, she liked him after all. His next stop was the Poseidon cabin. An annoyed growl was his first reaction upon seeing the chaos. They had left all those months ago, everything unimportant was scattered all over the floor. Cursing beneath his breath, he pulled the drawers open until he finally found what he was looking for. Grinning broadly, he took the ice-cold whistle between his lips and closed his eyes tightly. Hoping that it would work, he blew the Stygian ice whistle.

“Hey there, big girl”, laughed Sander happily as the big hell-hound jumped him. “I'm glad you're here, Mrs. O'Leary. I need your help. I need to get down to uncle Hades' palace. Fast.”

The big dog tilted her head questioningly before yelping in agreement, urging him to sit on her back. He grinned broadly as he climbed his best friend's pet's back. Closing his eyes in excitement, he waited for them to travel through the shadows. It was probably the second most awesome sensation ever, right after swimming with Fabius as merboys. Only seconds passed and he found himself in the underworld palace. Time to get this right.

 

/break\

 

Percy was cozily cuddled into his husband's lap, with his father lovingly running his fingers through the black, soft hair. The queen's heart fluttered a bit at that. He had learned to appreciate Poseidon in a whole new light during the time Triton had spend with his mother. It was nearly back to how it had been between them when they had first started out as a couple.

“What in the world is my dumbass brother doing there?”, grunted Cally displeased as she sat on the armchair with Attina. “Is he playing Hänsel and Gretel, or what?”

“He is doing something uncle Nico had told us about once”, giggled Fabius delighted as they watched how Sander laid a trace of pomegranate seeds. “Once uncle Nico came home late and was confused because there were pomegranate seeds laying all the way through he halls. He followed it and found his mom and dad naked and doing naughty things!”

“But why would Sander do that...?”, asked Attina with a frown.

“Because... Oh holy Olympus, children look away! You too, Perseus!”, groaned Poseidon.

He glared down at his half-blood son and covered Percy's eyes so the eternal teen wouldn't see Hades, slowly undressing on his way through the halls, licking his lips with a predatory look on his face. The three teens yelped and giggled, turning away with dark blushes. Hades was following the trail, believing his wife would await him naked at the end of it. That left his boxer-shorts carelessly laying around in the halls. All that was left now was hoping that the other gods present were too busy with the four babies. Once the Death God entered another room, Poseidon removed his hand again to let his young lover watch the happenings again.

“Do we know where Glaucus is?”, asked Triton with a suspicious frown.

“He is...” Leo grinned broadly, changing the channel of his massive flat-screen to show Glaucus aimlessly ransacking Hades' wardrobe. “Oh, Grumpy Senior won't like that!”

“He also won't like it that you call him Grumpy Senior”, chuckled Percy amused.

 

/break\

 

About half an hour later and the royal family was back in the sea, where Amphitrite was busy chatting off with Atargatis and Loreley. Everyone took their original seats again. All that was left now was for them to wait for the first to return. Some agonizing minutes passed during which Fabi feared that Glaucus may find one in the wardrobe before Sander could return.

“I'm back! I'm back, gods please tell me I'm the first!”

Sander burst into the throne room, not very heroic, but extremely adorable. He was waving Hades' underwear like a white flag, holding it up victoriously. Fabi's heart stopped for a second as he saw Sander standing there. He pushed himself off his throne and collided face-first with the brunette, forcing his lips onto Sander's, wrapping his arms around the broad neck.

“You are quite skipping some steps here”, noted Triton with one raised eyebrow until his mate's elbow hit his ribs hard. “What I meant to say was, how about you go to your room, Fabi?”

The blonde pushed himself off his chosen mate, blushing furiously and biting his lower lip. He averted his eyes sadly, his arms crossed in front of his chest. Percy rolled his eyes.

“What your eloquent father meant to say was, go to your room and take Sander with you. We will take care of your other suitors once they return”, smiled the queen amused. “But interrupt your mating for breakfast tomorrow, will you?”

“Yes, mom, thank you, mom!”, grinned the young prince broadly and happily.

He grabbed his best friend's hand and pulled him along harshly, speeding off to his room faster than ever before. His heat had started on his birthday, because he had dominants after his tail, calling to him with their musky pheromones, which were triggering his body to get ready. To get ready to embrace his mate. And his birthday had been days ago, even nearly a week now. Which meant his body was craving, longing, wanting, but not receiving.

“Fabs, calm down”, gasped the brunette as he was pushed onto the prince's bed.

“No”, grunted Fabi with a frown, hovering above the mortal, tilting his head. “I waited for eight months now. And now you're finally mine and I'm yours. I... I... need you, my body has been waiting for barely a week now, please...”

Azure-blue eyes were wide and a bit glazed over, causing Sander to gulp. How could he possibly deny those eyes anything? Growling slightly, he grabbed Fabi's upper arms and whirled them around, pinning the prince onto the bed beneath him. It was odd, but in this merman-body he could feel it, could smell it, could practically taste it. He sealed the rosy, soft, delicious lips with his own again, sucking on the plumb lower lip to get a whimper from his prince. Then he froze.

“If you're my Disney-princess and I'm the hero in this tale... does that make me Prince Charming then?”, mused the brunette thoughtful, his hands trailing over Fabi's upper body.

“Actually yes”, chuckled Fabi amused, playing with the hair at Sander's neck. “If you'd finally stop talking and take me to consume our mating, then you would per law become a prince.” He leaned up to whisper into his best friend's ear. “Not that you haven't always been _my_ Prince Charming.”

Sander grinned the broadest grin ever upon hearing that. It was what he had always wanted. Being Fabi's hero, meaning something more to the blonde even though Fabius was a god and a prince while he was only a mortal. The brunette was nervous. Really nervous. He had never done something like that, not even as a human. Much less as a merman. And it was... fast. They had like only now started dating and he was already supposed to deflower his new boyfriend...?

“You know, thanks to your quest, I spend eight months training for nothing”, grunted Sander.

“Not for nothing. You could put those nice muscles to very good use now”, purred the blonde, licking his lips in want, his eyes darkening more. “So would you please finally do something?”

“Stop it, okay?”, sighed the brunette, biting his lips. “I'm nervous, okay? I mean... I've made out with a couple of boys before, but I've never done something serious. And now I'm a merboy. Look, your grandma spend the past couple of months explaining to me how this works. It were the most embarrassing conversations I've ever had. I mean, she wasn't just explaining it – she had a whole freaking power-point presentation ready! With pictures!”

The brunette was deeply flustered at the end of his little rambling. The images and the presentation as a whole had probably left him scared for the rest of his life. Fabius blinked up at him and started giggling uncontrollably before laughing loudly. Sander huffed at that reaction.

“You are too cute!”, grinned the blonde and leaned up to kiss his friend. “You're a merboy, at least for now. Just... listen to your instincts, okay? And there really is no reason to be nervous. It's my first time too, so I'm kind of not able to judge if you're doing a good job or not. I don't want you to rock my world, at least not right away. All I want is for you to touch me, to be here with me, to... uh... to be within me, okay?”

The blonde blushed at his own words, biting his lower lip. His best friend turned lover smiled softly at that and leaned down, kissing those pretty pink lips again. He could probably spend all day kissing those wonderful, delicious and soft plumb lips.

“Okay, then let's follow the power-point presentation”, muttered Sander, resting his hands on Fabi's hips to turn him over again. “I hope I'll do everything right...”

Fabi turned to look over his shoulder, giving his soon-to-be-mate a reassuring smile. The blonde blushed again as he felt Sander's strong tails wrapping possessively against his own tail, holding him in place. His arousal grew with that knowledge, even more so as Sander started to caress his tail, massaging the place where his yellow scales were softer. Moaning hoarsely at the touch, the blonde buckled his hips, thrusting his tail against Sander's in want, provoking the soft scales of the taller boy. He felt his own shaft exiting it's sheath where the soft scales dipped.

“It seems I at least am doing that right”, purred the brunette with a broad grin, tugging on Fabi's cock to get it out fully. “What do you say? Shall I pay some attention to your backside?”

“Don't ask stupid questions”, hissed the blonde dangerously, his fingers clawed into the sheets beneath him. “Fuck me or my hormones may force me to strangle you!”

Sander blinked surprised at that. Okay, whatever caused this heat, he really wanted that more often. His shy best friend was... wild. That was new. And hot. His grin widened even more as one of his hands sneaked between their locked bodies (he noticed that he found himself truly unable to remove his tails from Fabi's... not that he wanted to). The yellow tail between his was eagerly pushed against him in want and need. His fingers soon found the spot of soft scales, a tight ring of muscles just like an anus (not that San would ever tell Fabi that he had actually fingered a boy before... the possessive merboy would probably start crying or something like that). His prince gave a throaty moan as Sander's fingers slid into the tight passage. The tightness was eagerly pulsing as if it was already begging for more. A needful whimper escaped Fabi's lips while Sander worked his entrance.

“Okay, so maybe you merboys are a bit more handy than humans”, hummed the brunette thoughtful as he pulled his fingers out of the tight hole, staring at the slick fingers. “That internal lube makes this really easier. I hope you won't be disappointed from our first time as humans.”

“Less talking. More taking!”, urged the blonde slightly irritated, his knuckles white as he held onto the poor, abused bedsheets. “I need you, San, please, just... please, San!”

The brunette smiled very softly again at the needy look in those azure-blue eyes. The pale cheeks were flushed so brightly, the plumb lips were swollen and a nicely dark red by now from all the kissing and sucking Sander already had done to those addictive lips.

“I really love your lips”, murmured the brunette, tracing the lips with his thumb.

The pink tongue darted out to lick it, sucking the thumb while whining in want. “Please?”

“Everything for you, my love”, smiled Sander softly, gripping the brunette's hips hard.

His own member had been hard ever since about the second whimper from his prince. The blonde could probably not move at all at the moment with how tightly Sander clung to his tail and his waist as he slowly pushed into the tightness, moaning in bliss. Okay, that was way better than masturbating! An animalistic growl escaped his lips the deeper he went in.

“Ouch, ouch, ouch”, whimpered the blonde, his eyes tightly closed.

“Sh, don't worry, it'll get better”, murmured Sander, kissing Fabi's neck and shoulders.

“I—I know”, grunted the young prince, biting his lips. “Just... move, please! It'll get better when you move, right? That's what mom said... So... please move, yes?”

“Your mom?”, snickered the brunette, picturing that conversation. “Must have been more weird than my conversation with Amphitrite. And that's saying something.”

“It wasn't that bad”, grunted the son of Perseus, rolling his eyes and folding his arms under his chin. “Mom tried to stay calm while explaining everything... but he sometimes really got excited.”

“Okay, okay, more information than I need about uncle Percy!”, interrupted Sander.

“Well then, just stop talking and start moving, huh?”, chuckled Fabius daringly.

“I'm all yours, my prince”, grinned Sander, slowly moving out again to thrust back in.

The friction was way too sweet to deny anyway, his blonde's channels contracting around him with every moan or mew that came from the prince. The grandson of Hermes fisted Fabi with cunning hands, he had already done that before after all (and not only with his own cock, thank you very much). The sounds spilling from those rosy lips were too enchanting, urging him on to move faster and harder. The tightness was so wonderful and such a new, interesting sensation that, even though he really wanted to rock Fabi's world, he couldn't do it for long.

“I love you”, growled the brunette, biting down on his mate's neck. “Mine, all mine.”

“Yours”, agreed Fabi with a hasty nod as he came. “Forever yours!”

He moaned wantonly as his seed spilled into the ocean. His muscles tightened, giving Sander an even more delicious feeling. Growling again, the brunette thrust as deep as possible, biting down on the offered neck hard as he felt himself coming within his now mate.

“Mine”, smiled the brunette breathlessly as he collapsed on the soft bed with his lover. “My Fabs...”

“My San”, grinned the prince, looking over his shoulder with dreamy eyes. “Only mine...”

The blonde snuggled deeper into the broad, muscular chest, still feeling the strong tails holding onto his. Fabi's head rested right over Sander's heart, listening to the soothing sound of his mate's heartbeat, until sleep claimed him. The last week of anticipating who his future mate would be or if he'd ever get the boy he wanted. His heat wasn't helping his tension any. But now... He was calm.

“Sleep well, my princess”, grinned Sander, kissing the blonde-blue hair. “I love you.”

 

/break\

 

“So... explain to me again why exactly I'm not getting laid today”, drawled Percy with a pout.

The Rain God was laying on the bed, widely spread, with a bored look on his face. One of his lovers was laying on either side of him. But both deities of the sea were frowning, each having their arms crossed in front of their chests, grunting from time to time.

“Because our son is currently getting laid”, grunted Poseidon with a glare.

“And that is a problem... how exactly?”, asked the queen annoyed.

“Because he's our baby boy”, replied Triton, the same glare on his face as their father. “He's _my_ baby boy and yet some... some... perv is touching him! He's still so young!”

“He's off age”, chuckled Percy amused, his eyes softening. “And Sander is not a perv. At least not more than any other seventeen-years old. They're mates. Don't you remember how it had been when we first became mates, love? Why can't you just be happy for them?”

“Because I do remember how we had become mates”, growled the merman displeased. “How I had you begging for it like a little slut and how I knocked... you...”

The king froze and his eyes widened in realization, just as Poseidon's did. Both men looked as if their lives were passing before their eyes. Percy looked from one to the other and laughed.

“I put some of my herbs into his tea for the past month now. Don't worry, you're not going to be grandfathers anytime soon. What kind of mother would I be if I'd let him run into the open knife like that?”, chuckled the son of Sally and shook his head.

“I'm so glad to have you, love”, sighed Triton, leaning over to kiss his his husband and mate.

“Very glad”, agreed Poseidon, kissing the other cheek.

“You amuse me the most, _dad_ ”, chuckled the queen of Atlantis, shaking his head. “Denying your only son the best thing I could picture even though you _are_ doing it with a certain other son of yours. Well, you used to at least. But it seems no one wants to fuck me today!”

He crossed his arms with a pout and turned onto the side to sleep.


	24. Interlude XII: Alarming Conclusion

Interlude XII: Alarming Conclusion

 

“L—Lord Hades, I can explain-”

“Glaucus”, growled the naked Death God with the darkest glare possible, the shadows coming closer, his hands stemmed into his hips. “You either spread your legs now or leave, because I'm horny, irritated and majorly annoyed. And I can't find my underwear.”

The younger god gulped and nodded hastily, zipping away again. Hades huffed. Not that he would have taken the irritating merman as a lover anyway, but it was an effective method to get rid of people. Grunting again, the Dark Lord took a tunic from his wardrobe. Where in the world were his boxer-shorts? And even more important, where in the world was his beautiful wife?

“Father? Annabeth asks why your clothes are scattered all over the... No, I take that back. _I_ want to know why you're running around the castle naked”, grunted his son from behind him.

Hades faced Nico, his frown melting away. “Hello, you most beautiful creature on this planet!”  
“Thanks dad, I love you too”, chuckled the Ghost Prince while his father put on the tunic.

“Who's talking to you?”, grunted the Death God and took the baby out of Nico's arms, lifting the child into the air. “Hello, my little princess! Who is the prettiest thing down here?”

Bianca Hazel di Angelo giggled delighted and reached out for her grandfather. She had the same dark eyes as Hades' late lover and their late daughter, but her mother's blonde hair and fair skin.

“Well, do I get an answer? And while we're at it... Do you know why there are mermen swimming around in the pond behind the castle? And our bathtub?”, asked Nico with a frown.

“I have no idea. But I just found Glaucus going through our underwear drawer”, replied Hades, slowly walking out of the bedchamber, closely followed by his son. “Where are our wives?”

“Taking care of Percy's troublesome triplet”, chuckled the son of Hades.

The older Death God nodded, changing directions to get to his son's wing of the castle. He had offered Nico to get his own castle, but since both gods of the underworld were mostly working together anyway, they came to the conclusion that this castle was big enough for them all. Especially when Annabeth had become pregnant. And now they were even more grateful that Nico and Annabeth had moved in with Hades and Persephone since the Spring Goddess was a great help.

“Hello, love!”, smiled Persephone as the two gods entered the living room.

“There you are”, grunted Hades and sat down next to the Spring Goddess, putting his granddaughter down so she could crawl over to the other three babies. “I had expected you somewhere else.”

Persephone raised one eyebrow while braiding Arista's blonde hair, making the young Sea Princess giggle in delight. Nico followed his daughter to where Annabeth was reading a story to EJ and Andi. EJ because Ella had started to call Adella Ella right after her birth, but having two Ellas was a bit too confusing for most so they started to call Adella 'Ella Junior', or EJ for short. The daughter of Athena lifted her gaze to look at her husband quizzically.

“Did you find out why there's a mermaid in our bathtub?”, asked the blonde.

“No. But father said Glaucus had been in his room when he came home”, grunted Nico with one raised eyebrow, leaning in to kiss his wife. “But if I had to guess, I'd blame Percy.”

Annabeth blinked a few times before her eyes widened comically. “Right, of course! Fabius is off age now. It must have something to do with that. The ritual of courting.”

“Then explain to me how that involves stealing my underwear”, growled Hades from nearby.

The other three adults frowned at that, Persephone coughing slightly. “How exactly?”

The Death God's eyes widened at the dangerous gleam in her eyes. “It's not what you think-”

“Right. Mermaids and mermen all over the place, your _underwear_ disappearing, but it's not what I think?”, grunted Persephone with a glare, crossing her arms over her chest.

One thing was for sure. Hades was so going to kill his useless brother and his brother's brats.


	25. New Huntresses and News to Hunt

12\. New Huntresses and News to Hunt

 

“Love? It's time to wake up, come on”, whispered a dark voice into his ear.

The prince shuddered slightly in excitement and blinked, his sky-blue eyes opening slowly. Dark eyes smiled down at him, making him smile in return. He was cuddled closely to his mate.

“I don't want to get up”, pouted Fabius, hiding his face in Sander's chest. “Can't we stay here...?”

“Today is your sister's birthday. I don't know about you, but I'd like to live to see the next day”, snorted Sander and rolled his eyes. “You better _not_ miss her birthday.”

“Oh! You're right!”, exclaimed the blonde wide-eyed and stood up. “Come on and hurry!”

The brunette chuckled amused and watched how his boyfriend hastily got dressed and ran around their room. Well, Sander's room. But after they had returned to camp a week ago, after spending about a week or so in Fabi's bed to sate the prince's heat, the blonde refused to leave his mate's side to sleep in the Poseidon cabin. And even though relationships between campers were normally not tolerated, the fact that they were mated and thus, by merfolk laws, married, Chiron gave Fabius the permission to share a bed with Sander. And the brunette was grateful for that, because he rather kept his blonde close too. Laying back more comfortable, he watched how the prince got undressed.

“You're beautiful, Fabs”, murmured the mortal in awe.

“And you're stupid”, muttered Fabius and blushed furiously. “Now get dressed!”

 

/break\

 

“Do you think we have everything?”, asked Percy with a thoughtful frown.

“Love, we have enough food to feed all gods and demi-gods together. I am pretty sure it will be enough for Camp Half-Blood, yes”, grunted Triton behind him and frowned amused.

“I just want it to be _perfect_!”, exclaimed the younger son of Poseidon a bit irritated.

“You're adorable”, murmured Poseidon on Percy's other side and kissed the younger god's head.

“It's her seventeenth birthday”, shrugged the queen with a pout. “I mean, I know it's nothing special, but I just feel... I mean, she turned sixteen _last year_ and she still hasn't introduced any suitors to us! I'm just worried for her... Maybe... I don't know...”

He sighed frustrated and hung his head low. He had no idea how to deal with this. Attina showed no interest in anyone. No merman, no mermaid, no man or woman. Not even a horse or whatever. He would at least know how to deal with that if she liked anyone or anything. But this, this was beyond his capacity of understanding. He sighed again and turned away from his lovers to check on the other preparations for the party.

“Hey, Jackson. What got you looking all down?”, chuckled an amused voice.

“Thals! You made it!”, smiled Percy brightly and went to hug his three favorite huntresses. “Arty, thanks for coming. You know how much Atti loves her aunties Piper and Thalia.”

“Well, you are hard to deny. Especially so if you send your husband and lover after me”, muttered Artemis with a slight frown. “You men are horrible. But I only came for Attina. She's a good girl.”

“She got that from her mom”, snickered Thalia and ruffled her cousin's hair.

“That reminds me, where are Annabeth and _her_ daughter?”, asked Piper curiously, looking around. “I haven't seen little Bizzy in such a long time. She certainly has grown a lot.”

“Come on, I'll bring you”, smiled Percy, taking the two half-bloods by the hands. “You can get comfortable with your other huntresses, Arty. Dinner won't be ready for a little while.”

“Stop calling me Arty or I will turn you into a deer”, warned Artemis with a glare.

Percy giggled at the threat and left together with Piper and Thalia to go to the lake, where everything was already set for a big barbeque. In a little playpen sat five children. Well, four children and Leo. The son of Hephaestus was grinning broadly, playing with the babies.

“Oh, so those are your three? I haven't seen them in a while either”, smiled Piper. “Help me out.”

“The blonde with the normal skin color is Arista. The green-skinned one with the black hair is Andrina and the brunette green-skinned girl is Adella”, smiled Percy softly. “And the one with the curly hair is Leo. The biggest child of them all.”

“Not funny, Jackson”, warned the Latino and stuck his tongue out. “Be glad I play babysitter so often for you and your bunch of rascals!”

“They shouldn't have made you the god of fire, they should have made you the god of babysitting”, chuckled Piper amused. “I have the feeling, whenever I see you, you carry someone's child around. Speaking of, where is Sammy? I know you loved taking care of her too!”

“Bah, you know how much she loves to hang off that stupid augur”, pouted Leo dismissively.

“Aw, even at that age they rather be with other men than with you?”, teased Piper.

“Come on, I'm thirsty. That looks like drinks and salad?”, asked Thalia.

Percy nodded and led the way over to the tables standing with perfect view of the lake. Tyson, Ella, Rachel and Octavian were already sitting there, the two redheads talking animatedly. The augur though looked a bit bored. He was turned away from the others, watching with Argus eyes (even though Argus himself was somewhere around too to watch out that nothing went wrong) how Sammy, Carry, Aqua and Ally sat together on the floor, whispering something.

“They're plotting again”, accused Octavian without lifting his gaze. “Sammy is a brilliant child. But your children and that war brat are corrupting her. Tell them to stop.”

“You would be a wonderful father, Octavian”, snorted Percy and rolled his eyes. “They're children. They're always plotting something. It's in their nature.”

“Where is our former fellow huntress turned housewife and mother?”, asked Piper with a frown.

“Oh, Annabeth is with her husband, Clarisse, Chris, Frank and Hazel in the Big House, Bizzy had decided that she does not like her lunch so she returned it. Onto her parents' clothes. Clarisse and Chris are looking for something for them to wear and I think Frank and Hazel help them getting cleaned up”, replied Rachel. “Why they don't just shadow-travel home is beyond me!”

“Because leaving a party again is not nice”, noted Tyson and nodded.

“I'll go and check on them. You, sit down and have something to drink”, smiled Percy and left.

He laughed to himself as he walked over to the Big House. Nico and Annabeth were really having a hard time. But then again, so had he with Attina. He frowned slightly. And now she was turning seventeen. Time passed so fast. He still remembered how he had held his little miracle the first time, how she had smiled up at him with those large, sea-green eyes for the very first time and he knew that this was his. His daughter. His firstborn child.

“So, I heard you still haven't learned how to handle your baby”, grinned Percy as he entered the bedroom of Chris and Clarisse. “Or at least to wear raincoats.”

“So not funny”, grunted Nico, tugging on the too-big shirt Chris had just given him.

“I look ridiculous”, muttered Annabeth, looking down at Clarisse's clothes, hanging loosely from her lithe frame. “But I especially bought that dress for tonight...”

“Really? After you saw Percy and me, you still haven't learned that young mothers should _never_ dress up, as long as they take their kids with them?”, snorted Clarisse ridiculed.

“Well...”, shrugged the blonde a bit desperately.

“I think you look lovely, Annabeth”, smiled Hazel behind her, tying the dress a bit tighter. “It has a certain... wild charm to it. Really.”

“Percy? Do you think you could check on our sons?”, asked Chris from the bathroom, where he was trying to clean the other couple's clothes with Frank's help. “Get them out of bed?”

“Bed?”, blinked Percy. “It's half past five in the afternoon.”

“Yes. Perfect time for a little... afternoon delight, if you know what I mean”, grunted Clarisse and rolled her eyes. “Those two are like rabbits. I bought earplugs to stop my ears from bleeding.”

Percy laughed softly and nodded. He left the bedroom again to get to the other end of the hall and knock on the door. Raising one eyebrow in amusement, he stared at the flustered, half-naked blonde who opened him. At least Fabi had already managed to get into his pants. But by the looks of it, Sander had also tried to get into Fabi's pants...

“Mom! You're here already!”, yelped the son of Perseus and blushed some more. “Uh... We were just getting dressed...?”

“Looks more like getting undressed”, noted Percy and shook his head. “Try to finish whatever it is you two were doing and come, okay? We wanted to eat soon.”

“We were doing nothing, I swear!”, mumbled Fabi and blushed even harder. “We have done nothing yet as humans... I mean, well, nothing really major...”

“Fabs, stop telling your mom details about our sex-life”, hissed Sander from the background.

The blonde turned to stick his tongue out at his mate and closed the door so he was standing outside alone with mother and without his boyfriend interrupting him. The blush brightened some more.

“What's wrong, Fabi?”, asked the Sea Queen softly.

“I... I... We _really_ haven't done anything yet as humans... At least not more than, uh you know, touching and... and... well, you know, jerking each other off”, mumbled Fabi.

“You don't need to tell me that”, grunted Percy and blushed himself.

“No! I mean...”, stuttered the prince and averted his eyes. “I don't know if I can do _it_... Having... Having sex wit Sander as merboys was okay, because that's my body, the body I feel comfortable with... But... But as humans...? I... I don't know...”

“Oh”, nodded Percy in understanding, his eyes softening as he hugged his son. “You really don't need to be scared, Fabius. Just... let Sander take the lead, mh? If he manages to get it done as a merman, then he certainly also knows what to do as humans. He's your mate, just trust him.”

“I trust him! I don't trust this human body though”, mumbled the embarrassed prince and turned the darkest red possible. “I... I mean, it's so tight down there, how... how is he even supposed to fit in?! That will never, ever work! I saw how _thick_ he is! Bu... But I tried and it even hurts when I try to get two fingers in, how am I supposed to fit that thick, thick penis into my entrance?!” He yelped and stared at his mother desperately with sad eyes. “I just don't want to disappoint him...”

Percy smiled at his son, running his fingers through the blonde hair, playing with one of the blue streaks before he leaned down to place a kiss on Fabi's forehead. “It will fit. You just have to relax and trust him. Be patient and the pain will go away. And use lube. Humans don't lube themselves like merboys do. It'll hurt less if you use lube. But it will still hurt. Just... trust me, the pleasure will come and it will so be worth the pain, mh?”

“O... Okay, mom”, muttered Fabi and nodded slowly before pecking Percy's cheek. “Thanks.”

“No problem. I told you, you can always talk with me about anything”, chuckled the queen before he pushed his son back into the direction of the door. “Now hurry up, don't keep us waiting for too long or your uncle Tyson will eat everything before you even arrive!”

“Yes, mom”, nodded Fabi and smiled broadly before returning to the bedroom.

“Okay”, nodded Percy to himself, pleased by the outcome of this conversation and the fact that his son truly trusted him enough to come and talk to him about such things. “Though... Where is my daughter? We can't have a birthday party without the birthday child...”

“Talking to yourself again, Perce?”

“G-man!”, exclaimed Percy with a broad grin and turned around to face the satyr.

The brunette stood behind the Sea Queen, straightening his goaty. He returned his best friend's grin and hugged the son of Poseidon tightly. His duties kept him away from everything most of the time, the more he valued those times he got to see his friend.

“Tyson said you're in here”, grinned the former protector. “So... You were looking for that daughter of yours? How about I help you. Juniper had said something about some girls wandering around the forest, though she hadn't properly seen them.”

“Must be Atti and Cally. Those two are inseparable”, chuckled Percy and nodded. “Come.”

 

/break\

 

“Really now, on your birthday”, sighed Percy desperately and shook his head. “Look at you! The beautiful dress grandma Amphitrite had bought you, all ruined!”

“Sorry, mom, but there had been that noise and we had to investigate-”, started Attina softly.

“Yeah, I mean, couldn't we know that Mrs. O'Leary brought some friends to play with from the underworld with uncle Nico”, huffed Cally, her arms crossed over her chest.

“You two will be the death of me”, muttered Percy and shook his head.

“Love! Where have you been? I started getting worried”, grunted Triton as his husband and the two teenagers entered the clearing again. “And why are you two looking like that?”

“It's nothing, Triton”, murmured Percy softly and kissed his husband. “Just... ADHD.”

“Very well”, huffed the Sea King reluctantly and sat back down next to his mother.

He pulled Percy down to sit between Triton and Poseidon. The others at their table were Chris, Clarisse, Tyson and Ella. Sander and Fabius were sitting at the table right next to them, the two boys had been ordered to keep an eye on the twins, Carry and Sammy. The four babies were peacefully sleeping nearby, Leo keeping an eye on them while Annabeth enjoyed to have conversations with proper, grown-up human beings again.

“I'm glad you could make it, Amphy”, smiled Percy politely.

“Well, I had missed so many birthdays now, it would have made me feel guilty to miss this one too”, chuckled Amphitrite a bit amused. “I'm glad you allowed me to come. After... everything.”

“I think we're above that by now”, whispered the son of Poseidon with a slight smile. “We're immortal, we will share the sea for all eternity. We shouldn't fight, especially not about such mundane things that by now hopefully dissolved themselves.”

Amphitrite giggled uncharacteristically and leaned in to whisper into Percy's ear. “For all I care, you can keep Poseidon all to yourself! Palaimon is such a gentleman, he is not always busy with ruling one thing or another. No, you may put up with the politics and all. I'll enjoy a lazy life now.”

The son of Poseidon laughed softly at that and shook his head. He was glad Amphitrite had found love again, because otherwise she would probably still hold a grudge against Percy for stealing her husband away. This way, he could have Poseidon without any nasty fighting.

“Friends! Family!”, started Triton and stood proud, his glass raised high. “We gathered today to celebrate my oldest child's seventeenth birthday. Attina, you have always been a good and humble girl. Your mother and I decided that you have one free wish this year. We will do anything in our godly powers to make it happen. Just name it.”

There was a tense silence in the group, everyone was staring at Attina in anticipation and curiosity. The princess was biting her lips and looking at Cally questioningly. The daughter of Chris and Clarisse nudged her best friend encouragingly.

“I... I want to join the hunt, together with Cally.”

The silence stretched on, though now it seemed not like a good kind of silence anymore. “No.”

“What? But... Mom?”, muttered Attina confused.

“You heard me!”, exclaimed Percy and turned angry eyes, first at Attina then at Cally and in the end he stared at a quite smug Artemis. “Was this your doing? Did you give them this stupid notion?”

“Don't talk like that about my hunt or I will forget your new status as a god, Perseus”, warned Artemis in a calm and even voice. “It was their own idea. They had approached me a couple of months ago already, though _I_ told them they would have to ask their parents first.”

Percy's head snapped around to stare at Clarisse. “Did... Did you _know_?”

“Sure”, shrugged the daughter of Ares. “Cally already asked me like half a year ago. But she said she'd wait until Attina asked you. Seeing your reaction, I understand why they waited so long.”

“What?”, huffed Percy a bit irritated. “Within my first week of knowing the huntresses, I had to bury _two_ of them. Two friends. No. My daughter will not do this. You won't, you hear me, Attina?”

“That's not fair, _Perseus_!”, exclaimed Attina with teary eyes, glaring at her mother. “I'm old enough to decide for myself! I could as well be mated and have children by now, but I don't want to! I want adventures, I want to see the whole world! You can't forbid me to!”

“Oh, I'll show you how I very well can”, growled Percy back with gritted teeth.

“Mom is right!”, agreed Fabi and stood too, his eyes shining with unshed tears. “You can't just leave like that! It's stupid!”

“You don't have a say in this, Fabi!”, disagreed his older sister angry.

“But... But why would you want to leave?!”, screamed the blonde disappointed.

“Because I want more!”, replied Attina loudly.

“So we're not enough?! Don't you love us anymore?”, mumbled Fabi, his lower lip quivering.

“Stop it now, both of you! There is no need to get emotional over nothing, because Attina is not leaving anywhere”, declared Percy with determination.

“I... I... I _hate_ you!”, screamed Attina, glaring at her mother and brother.

“And... And... And I hate you!”, screamed Fabi back, tears running down his cheeks.

The two siblings ran off into different directions, Attina back into the forest and Fabi off to the Big House. The Rodriguez-twins exchanged a worried look and sighed before each followed their own Jackson, leaving a very tense party.

“Perseus”, started Triton in a slightly stern voice. “Don't you think we could have talk-”

“No”, grunted Percy and glared at his husband. “There's nothing to talk about!”

With that he too ran off, right into the lake to clear his head. “Well, at least we know where they got _that_ from. Uh... Anyone cake?”

“Leo... Just shut up”, muttered Piper and shook her head.

Both Poseidon and Triton made a move to stand and follow their lover, but Amphitrite was father than them and motioned for them to stay seated. “You two, explain to the twins that no one hates anyone around here and that everything is fine. I will talk to Perseus.”

They frowned at her suspiciously, before nodding reluctantly.

 

/break\

 

Percy was laying on his stomach on the bed in the cave where Triton always visited him during summer. His face was buried in his arms and he was crying like he hadn't in a while. He heard how someone else surfaced from the lake, but did not care to turn around.

“Perseus”, whispered a soft, female voice.

Okay, now he cared. Frowning slightly, he turned to look at Amphitrite and rubbed his tears away.

“What do _you_ want?”, huffed the Sea Prince and sat up, his legs crossed.

“I wanted to share my experience with you”, chuckled Amphitrite and sat down next to him.

“I wouldn't know how-”

“Just listen”, interrupted the goddess with a sharp edge to her voice. “I once had four children. Benthesicyme, Rhode, Proteus and Triton. But one by one, they grew up and left home. Until only Triton was left. He was a good son, I could always rely on him, even after thousands of years, he was still with us. But then... he got married. And I, I couldn't bear the thought that another one of my children would leave me. I grew angry and despised his chosen mate. Not just because of who your father is, but also because you were about to take my son away from me. And see what it had brought me. Nothing but heartache. Years had passed where I hadn't seen Triton at all. And even as we had contact again, it only was reluctant and rare at best. You, you accept that Fabius has a mate. You should know that he won't be living with you forever. All too soon he will move out too, to live with his mate and start his own family. Why can you not accept that your oldest child will leave? Because she will. Believe me, if they once settled for a thing, it's hard to convince them of the opposite. Now tell me, do you truly want for her to sneak away, to leave with poisoned words left between the two of you? It may cost you more than you could handle to lose.”

“I... I...”, stuttered Percy and sighed. “I know. But I can't... I already _lost_ two children. And letting them stay at camp is remotely safe, I am here to watch out for them and the few quests they have are so much easier and less dangerous than they used to be in my time. But the hunt... They hunt monsters, they endanger themselves on a regular base. I... I can't lose another child. I couldn't... not her... A baby I had yet no chance to get to know, but not the girl I raised for seventeen years. If I lose her, it will break me... I can't let her go...”

He sobbed, tears streaming down his face once again. Amphitrite sighed and slowly laid her arms around the eternal teen, rubbing Percy's back to sooth him.

“There comes a time, a hard, hard time, for every mother where they have to do one thing”, whispered the goddess softly. “They have to _let go_. Or they may lose their children to something worse than death. Or could you truly live with yourself, knowing she was out there but would never speak to you again and the last words she had ever spoken to you were that she hated you? Would you not rather let her chose a life as a hero? Maybe she may die a hero's death, but it would be her chosen path. And you don't know. She is your child, trust her to stay alive. Trust her to fight, to be clever and live. There are things we mothers can't decide for our children.”

 

/break\

 

Fabi was laying on his stomach on the bed in their room in the Big House. His face was buried in his arms and he was crying like he hadn't in a while. He heard how someone else entered the room, but did not care to turn around.

“Fabs... Don't do this. You know I can't deal with seeing you sad or, gods forbid, crying.”

The blonde sniffed and turned slightly as the mattress dipped next to him. He curled around his mate, resting his head in Sander's lap. The brunette was running his fingers though the golden hair.

“You knew...? About that?”, whispered the prince softly.

“Yeah”, shrugged the mortal a bit awkwardly. “Cally told me at our own birthday.”

“And... and you're... f... fine with it...?”, mumbled Fabi and sniffed some more.

“Sure”, nodded the brunette slowly. “I mean, I'll be leaving camp too, after all.”

“What?”, exclaimed the blonde, staring up at Sander with wide, fearful eyes.

“To live in the underwater palace with my mate, dumbo”, chuckled Sander and ruffled his boyfriend's hair. “You're so cute. Anyway, I mean, I start my own life too. I'll leave with you again once summer is over and since we're now sixteen, there won't be all that many summers to follow anyway. One, maybe two. Depending on how long we'll push the whole uh... family-planning off. So if I live my own life, why should I protest when my sister wants that too?”

“But... But she's _my_ sister, my big sister! When mom had left us, we were practically all we had. We practically raised the twins together because dad and grandpa were too distraught to do it. We were... we had always been Atti and Fabi. We belong together... She can't leave me...”, sobbed Fabi.

“I know, love, I know”, sighed the brunette, cradling his lover in his arms. “But you need to let her do this on her own. That's her adventure. And she won't be out of the world. Remember when aunt Annabeth had been a huntress? And aunt Thalia and aunt Piper come visiting often enough too. It's not like you will never see her again. Come on... Is there anything that I can do to make it better...?”

Fabi stared up at him with an odd look in his eyes before he nodded. “Take me.”

“What?”, blinked the brunette surprised, his blood unsure if it wanted to go up or down.

“Please?”, whispered the prince and wrapped his arms around Sander's neck. “I need you, I need to know that you're here, that you're mine and that _you_ will never leave me, mate... Please?”

The blonde was straddling his boyfriend's hips by now, his blue eyes half closed, his lips slightly parting and glittering as he licked them slowly. Sander gulped. It was really hard to not constantly fuck that boy. Sighing in defeat, he turned them around so Fabi was laying beneath him.

“Well, being humans has the up that I will be able to look at your beautiful face when I fuck you”, whispered Sander and started to slowly undress them. “Damn, you're perfection...”

Fabius smiled up at him shyly and blushed a bit, reluctantly spreading his legs. As Sander shed the last piece of clothes, he grabbed a bottle from their nightstand. Fabi's blush darkened as he recalled his mother's words from earlier. This must have been lube. Well, he hoped it helped.

“Use much of that”, said Fabi seriously. “ _Very_ much. You're way too thick to fit!”

“Thanks”, grinned Sander stupidly and kissed bis boyfriend. “But don't worry about that.”

Once he was satisfied with the amount of lube on his already very hard cock – he was a teenage boy and the most gorgeous being on this planet was laying widely spread in front of him, what else could he need to get hard? – he started to pay attention to the only body-part of his boyfriend that he had not been allowed to touch so far. His hands were nervously shaking as he caressed the soft, puckered hole for the very first time. It was velvety soft and the touch caused Fabi to make such a cute sound that Sander really had to hold back to not just ravish the other boy.

“I love you, I love you so much”, murmured the brunette and kissed his mate. “Relax.”

The blonde hissed and yelped as the first finger entered him. It was not as bad as when he had tried it himself, but he wasn't sure if that was because of the lube or because it was Sander and Sander a) always felt good when he was touching Fabi and b) aroused him enough to maybe make him relax more easily than when he had nervously tried it himself. Sander moved slow, easing the finger deeper into his lover, pulling out a bit again, wiggling it. He repeated that for a little while before adding another finger. That was a little bit worse than only one finger, but it was still bearable. Fabi still felt a bit uncomfortable, because somehow he felt as if Sander was searching something within him, which, really, was an odd feeling. Though as the brunette finally found what he had been searching, Fabi forgot about anything. The oddness, the pain, even that his sister wanted to leave. The touch left him a panting mess, begging for more. And Sander was eager to deliver. He added another finger and one more, stretching Fabi and _touching_ him in that way.

“More, more, please, please more”, whimpered Fabius desperately. “Please, just take me, please!”

Sander looked at him critically before slowly pulling his fingers out. His hands glided up Fabi's thighs to take the younger boy's knees and force them a bit farther apart. Then he positioned himself in front of the eagerly twitching entrance and pushed sensationally slow into the tight heat.

“Sht, relax”, murmured Sander and leaned down to shower Fabi's face with kisses as his lover whimpered. “It'll get better. Just let me get all the way in and I will find that spot again, mh?”

“Yes, yes, hurry and find the spot again”, agreed the blonde and whined. “It hurtshurtshurts! Just... just do it fast, please? Just thrust in and... and find that spot and make it good again, please?”

“As you wish, my love”, whispered the brunette and thrust a bit harder and way deeper.

His lover beneath him whimpered and whined until, finally, after a couple of thrusts, he had found the younger boy's prostate again. And again. And again. He thrust harder and longer, until the blonde was nothing but a moaning mess, sky-blue eyes clouded with lust, half-lid as they stared up at Sander, silently begging for more. The son of Perseus scratched his mate's back at every well-placed, hard thrust. Sander's still slick fingers stimulated Fabi's cock and his sensitive nipples. The blonde whimpered pathetically as Sander bit one of his nipples and pulled slightly.

“S—Stop it”, gasped the blonde with a whine.

“Why?”, smirked the brunette and turned to bite the other hard. “I know you like it. You're so... so... innocently kinky, love. But we need to return to the party. So let me, heh, work your buttons.”

The flustered prince whimpered as his already red and slightly swollen nipples got sucked and bitten and pinched until he came hard. Sander's thrusts grew more frantic as he tried to get as much out of the contracting muscles as possible. Though the sweet friction made it a short joy and Sander emptied himself deep within his mate. He was really glad uncle Percy was giving Fabs those herbs, because the brunette wouldn't want to miss the cute face Fabius always made when being filled.

“I love you and I will never ever leave you”, promised Sander and kissed his mate.

 

/break\

 

“Please, can't we just all get along...?”, asked Cally softly as she pulled her best friend back out of the forest. “And don't give me those big puppy eyes. You're coming back and you are going to apologize to your mom for what you said. We both know you didn't mean it.”

Atti bit his lips and averted her eyes. “You're right... I don't... I'd never...” She stopped as they entered the clearing again and she saw her mother and brother, both sitting next to each other with crestfallen looks on their faces. “I... I'm sorry, I didn't mean... 'I don't hate you, I'll never hate you... I love you, mommy... And you too, Fabi... I just...”

She sobbed and fell into their arms. Their hug was soon joined by their father and grandfather and the twins, one attached to each of Attina's legs. The royal family spend a little while hugging until everyone sat down again. Everyone aside from Percy.

“I know you don't hate me”, whispered Percy into her ear. “And I want to keep it that way. I don't... Just please, understand that I'm only worried for you. You're my little princess, I wouldn't be able to bear it if anything would happen to you, Attina.”

“I know, mommy”, whispered Attina back, her eyes tightly closed. “But... I'm good. I'm good with my bow and I'm a hero, please let me be a hero... When you had been my age, you already had rescued the world two times, mom. Give me a chance to prove myself too. Please.”

“You really want this, don't you?”, murmured Percy with sadness in his voice.

“More than anything else”, confirmed the young princess.

“Thalia”, called the son of Poseidon and lifted his gaze to stare at the table with the huntresses. “You are personally in charge of keeping my daughter alive. Am I clear? If anything happens, I will come and kick your lieutenant ass.”

“Clear and understood, my queen”, snickered Thalia and nodded.

“Does this... mean...?”, asked Attina softly, unsure if what she was hearing was true.

“I can't keep you locked up in the palace for forever... I will have to let you make your own decisions”, sighed Percy, obviously very displeased by this, though then he smiled tenderly. “But you are my daughter and I trust you to make the right decisions. And to always come back home if you may notice that one decision or another may have been wrong.”

“Oh, thank you, mom, you're the best!”, exclaimed the princess giddily and jumped her mother.

Percy smiled and returned the hug, only reluctantly letting go of his daughter again. He watched with mixed feelings how Attina and Calandra ran up to Artemis to pledge their loyalty. Heaving a sigh, he leaned against his husband for support.

“Why do they have to grow up?”, complained the queen with wide, questioning eyes.

Triton only chuckled in reply and wrapped his arms around his consort's waist, kissing Percy's shoulder softly. Poseidon observed them slightly amused, having the twins sitting on either side of him. They were giddily watching what was about to happen to their big sister.

“Don't you two look too closely”, warned Percy sternly. “I will not have more of that nonsense!”

“Okay, mom”, chorused the two eleven-years-olds obediently.

They watched in awe how a silver light illuminated the two girls. Though before anyone could go and congratulate them, something else drew all attention to it. A green mist, gathering around a certain redhead. Octavian next to her frowned worried, until her wide, green eyes illuminated practically everything around them. Most yelped in surprise at that as she stood up and walked nearly like a zombie around their little gathering, as if she was unsure who to address.

“What... what's wrong with auntie Rachel, uncle Tavy?”, asked Sammy softly and hid in her mother's arms. “Why is she acting like that...?”

“Sh, just sit and listen”, whispered the augur and observed his friend.

In the end, Rachel came to stand in the middle of the place, surrounded by the royal family of the sea, the huntresses and practically every demi-god from camp, since most were somehow friends with the children of Perseus and the kids of Clarisse. Everyone was murmuring curiously, eager to learn of the new prophecy and hoping it may be their turn to become big heroes.

When Rachel finally opened her mouth, it seemed as if her voice was coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time, screaming and whispering, calling out to them all and to no one.

“For night's darkness or day's light,

Only combined, the Romans' sight

And their heroic trio of gold

Can fight the heirs of the Old.

Greek's leader and the ocean's heir

Will face a choice at the enemy's lair.

Their blood aids help with silver's blessing,

The need to save the world is pressing.

The youngest child of the mightiest three

Will find their love and set them free.

Their choice will deem the whole world's fate.

Eight will fight, for one's the victory too late.”

There was a final, even brighter glow before it all died down and the redhead collapsed. She would have hit the cake face-first if Leo wouldn't have caught her just in time. There was an eerie silence that followed the prophecy. A total silent, one that made you uncomfortable.

Sea-green eyes were wide and fearful as Percy stared at the oracle in disbelief. This couldn't be true, not after everything they had endured. All the pain and all the deaths and all the wars. Not another one. Not another prophecy with more death and fighting.

“Perseus? You're not a hero anymore. This is not your prophecy”, whispered Triton soothingly.

“Not mine, no”, whispered Percy in a broken voice, a voice Triton had not heard since they had lost the last baby and the eyes that turned to look at him pleadingly were no less broken. “But... _The youngest child of the mightiest three_... The youngest child of one of the Big Three. The... youngest child of... Poseidon... The only one born after my generation...”

“No”, grunted Triton and tightened his grip on his mate, turning pleading eyes on their father. “No.”

But Poseidon had a nearly as desperate look in his eyes. They turned to look at their son. The only child of one of the Big Three that had been born in over twenty years.

The silence seemed to stretch on and become even more uncomfortable. It made Fabius shudder and turn slightly green, because he remembered it from his dreams. A silent night, without a sound.

The silence before the storm.

“Sander... I'm afraid”, whispered the blonde and grabbed his mate's hand.

Sander frowned down at his boyfriend and wrapped his free arm around Fabi's shoulders. “No need to be. I'm here to protect you, remember? Always. Besides, what does it concern us? We'll leave for the palace in a couple of weeks and have fun. Not our quest, right?”

“I... Yes, you're right”, nodded Fabi reluctantly and leaned against his mate. “I'm just being stupid.”


	26. Epilogue: Foggy Nightmare

Epilogue: Foggy Nightmare

 

Sander blinked lazily. He _knew_ that this was a dream. His stomach knotted. He even knew what kind of dream this was. This was the dream his Sea Prince had told about what seemed so long ago. Even before they had been dating. Back when he had first discovered his feelings for Fabi.

He was standing at the shore, the place that connected both his worlds. His camp and his new home, the sea. He knew where he belonged. Wherever his mate was. Which was most of the time the sea since his boyfriend  _was_ the future queen of the sea. His own heart skipped a beat at the thought of one day consequently becoming the king.

Shaking his head, he tried to focus on the thing ahead. The dream. The very scary dream. It was night at the shore, but not a normal night. The stars were missing, not even the moon was there to illuminate the night. And also no sound. Not a single sound. No wind rustling the leaves, no waves washing the shore, no animals or campers or nymphs. It was dark and silent as if it was dead.

Frantically looking around, he searched for something, anything that may lead him out of this horrible nightmare. A sign, anything. Most preferably his pretty prince.

Though as his eyes truly caught on his boyfriend, his stomach turned and turned around as if it wanted to jump out of him. Fabius stood there, at the outskirts of the woods. At least something that looked like Fabi. Because  _his_ Fabi had the most livid azure-blue eyes on this planet. But this one had empty eyes, foggy as if he was either blind or possessed. His body was limb, his shoulders sloughed, his head hanging slightly. But what truly frightened Sander was the thing behind his lover. A woman, a dark beauty. The darkest beauty he had ever seen. Her hair so black, it nearly seamlessly disappeared in the dark night sky. Her skin-tight black dress added to her appeal. And perhaps she would have charmed many men, not Sander though. Especially not since she had her arms around what was his and his alone. The brunette gritted his teeth and balled his fists, ready to storm over there and rip his beloved little mermaid away from that bitch.

But a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He froze and turned slightly. Behind him was a pale beauty with such bright hair that it seemed to glow. No, it didn't just seem to glow, it  _glowed_ . Behind her was the sun slowly rising over the sea. She had a malicious smile on her lips.

“I can help you keeping what is yours”, murmured the blonde into his ear. “Stay with me and he will be yours _forever_. She will never give him back to you. You have to fight her.”

Sander gulped and turned slightly to look at his beloved Fabi who stood motionless and emotionless in front of the dark woman. He would have done everything to get back what was his, but...

“No”, growled the brunette and broke loose from her grasp.

The blonde screeched and glared at him, her pointy teeth scaring Sander a bit. He took one more step to get away from her as she reached her long fingers out after him.

“I will get my Fabs back, but I don't need you”, growled Sander determined.

“You will never succeed without me!”, hissed the blonde and lunged at him.

He ran wide-eyed, heading for his Sea Prince, the blonde close behind him. As he reached his blonde, he threw himself at Fabi and ripped him off from invisible strings.

They rolled around and... off the bed. Sander blinked, his eyes wide. The shore was gone and so was the night. It was early morning and he was laying on the floor in his room, on top of a slightly grumpy looking Fabius. But before the blonde could ask why he had been thrown out of their bed, firm lips pressed against his and fingers clawed into his blonde hair. Wide, blue eyes stared up at Sander with so much wonder and confusion and worry and love that it made Sander's heart burst. All those emotions, exactly where they belonged. He smiled down at the smaller boy.

“What brought that on?”, blinked Fabi amused.

“Just you, being the most adorable thing ever”, murmured Sander and kissed him again.


End file.
